Chapelle d'Ausone - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2020

Vinous

93-93

par Neal Martin le 28/02/2025

The 2020 Chapelle d'Ausone has ample toasty oak on the nose, which continues to shade the black fruit underneath. Yet it coheres in the glass, finally allowing the terroir to shine through. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a fine bead of acidity. It's very harmonious, with a precise and persistent finish. There's wonderful mineralité and tension here—superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Wine Advocate

92

par William Kelley le 06/04/2023

The 2020 Chapelle d'Ausone contains more Cabernet Franc (60%) than the grand vin this year and 5% of Cabernet Sauvignon too. Revealing aromas of cherries, red berries, incense and cloves, it's medium to full-bodied, perfumed and precise, with a satiny attack and a saline finish.

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

par Jeb Dunnuck le 30/03/2023

The second wine of Château Ausone, the 2020 Chapelle D'Ausone is based on 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in barrel. It's saturated purple hue is followed by a rockstar nose of ripe darker cherries, blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, graphite, and toasted spices, with high class oak nicely integrated. Round, supple, and incredibly sexy, it has silky tannins and is unquestionably a brilliant wine with more than a touch of Ausone character. It's going to keep for two decades, offering tons of pleasure for the majority of its life.

The Wine Cellar Insider

94

par Jeff Leve le 22/03/2023

Flowers, leafy herbs, mint, espresso, cherries, plums and a hint of blueberries come alive in the aromatic profile. But, the best is yet to come with its array of minerals, rocks, stones and salt-tinted red and black fruits that cross your palate with length, lift, precision, purity and soft, smooth-textures. It is difficult to believe that this is their second wine. Drink from 2025-2040.

Vinous

95

par Antonio Galloni le 24/02/2023

The 2020 Chapelle d’Ausone is 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Rich, deep and expressive, the Chapelle is loaded with class. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs, ginger, leather and dried flowers infuse the Chapelle with notable depth and complexity. This mid-weight, exotic Saint-Émilion is loaded with character. The clean, mineral-drenched finish is a thing of absolute beauty. The Chapelle is a blend of young vines and barrels that don't make it into the Grand Vin. In a word: dazzling.

Vinous

93

par Neal Martin le 15/02/2023

The 2020 Chapelle d'Ausone, raised entirely in new oak, is relatively backward on the nose, just like the 2018, and demands encouragement to eke out scents of blackberry, cedar, crushed limestone and a touch of pencil shaving. Very focused, though there is something bashful about the aromatics at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied and extremely pure, with pliant tannins and a silky smooth texture. Candied orange peel infuses the black fruit towards the mineral-driven finish. The more you remain in its presence, the more you feel the quality of this Deuxième Vin.

Vinous

93-95

par Neal Martin le 25/06/2021

The 2020 Chapelle d’Ausone has a well defined, focused bouquet. Tightly-wound at first, the 2020 opens with lavender and incense aromas infusing the red berry fruit. Touches of rose petal emerge with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth tannins and moderate depth. A discrete white pepper note builds towards the finish that is vivacious and vibrant. I suspect that this might close down a little after bottling, but there is great potential.

Decanter.com

94

par Jane Anson le 25/05/2021

This has a beautifully nuanced yet deep flavour, showing the tight pared-back salinity and juice of limestone alongside fleshy blackberry fruits. There are firm but flexible tannins, it has grip and tension and frankly all the things that you want from a Chapelle, giving a generous hint of what you can expect from Ausone itself. First year of official conversion to organic farming. 3.66pH. 100% new oak.

Anthocyanes

94-96

par Yohan Castaing le 11/05/2021

Très graphite, légèrement terrien, voici un Chapelle aux notes de graphite, de réglisse, de fruits noirs bien murs pour une expression plus fermée et plus stricte. Très épicé. En bouche, le toucher de bouche est toujours aussi précis et satiné, frais et délicat avec une puissance d'ensemble remarquable. Moins expressif, il n'en reste pas moins un vin de grande garde (20 à 30 ans). Un très grand second vin.

Bernard Burtschy

96-97

par Bernard Burtschy le 10/05/2021

My Bettane + Desseauve

93

par Bettane & Desseauve le 07/05/2021