Château Ausone 1999

Ausone 1999 is a benchmark Saint-Émilion from one of Bordeaux’s most revered estates, delivering a level of depth and precision that far exceeds expectations for the vintage. With a tiny production and draconian selection in the vineyard, this is a wine crafted for collectors and for truly special occasions. Its concentration, structure and pedigree make it one of the standout Right Bank wines of the late 1990s.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Ausone 1999 shows a deep, still-youthful ruby to garnet core with a tight, almost opaque center, hinting at its remarkable concentration and slow evolution. The nose is intense and layered, offering notes of blackcurrant, black cherry and blueberry liqueur intertwined with licorice, graphite, crushed stone, violets, and a touch of sweet spice and cedar from élevage. With air, more complex nuances emerge—tobacco leaf, espresso, truffle and a faint savory minerality. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful and brilliantly defined, with a core of ripe black and blue fruits wrapped in firm, fine-grained tannins. There is an almost creamy density of fruit, yet the line of fresh acidity and strong mineral backbone keeps everything poised and precise. Flavors of blackberries, cassis, dark plum and licorice are complemented by notes of cocoa, pencil lead and dried flowers on the long, resonant finish. Now well within its drinking window, the 1999 still has significant aging potential; well-stored bottles can continue to develop additional tertiary complexity and drink beautifully through 2040 and beyond.

Production
Château Ausone sits on the limestone plateau and steep terraces of Saint-Émilion, a terroir renowned for imparting tension, perfume and a distinctive mineral edge to its wines. The vineyard is typically planted to a high proportion of Cabernet Franc alongside Merlot, rooted in thin clay over pure limestone bedrock. In 1999, owner Alain Vauthier applied extremely strict selection, reportedly eliminating about a quarter of an already small harvest to retain only the most pristine fruit. Grapes are hand-harvested in small parcels at optimal ripeness, then carefully sorted before fermentation in temperature-controlled vats. The wine is traditionally aged in a high proportion of new French oak barrels, allowing the dense fruit and firm structure to integrate slowly while preserving the hallmark precision, depth and longevity that define Ausone.

Food & Serving
Ausone 1999 shows best with refined, flavor-rich dishes that complement its depth without overwhelming its elegance. Think classic roast lamb with herbs, dry-aged beef, tournedos Rossini, venison, or slow-braised dishes like beef cheeks or lamb shank. It also partners beautifully with truffle-infused dishes, wild mushrooms, and well-aged hard cheeses such as Comté or aged Gouda. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight both its aromatic complexity and textural finesse. At this age, decanting for 1–2 hours is recommended to remove any sediment and allow the wine to fully open, but avoid excessively long decants to preserve its more delicate tertiary nuances.

Producer
Château Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most illustrious estates, classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé A in Saint-Émilion and widely regarded as one of the great names of the Right Bank. With origins dating back centuries and a long association with the Vauthier family, Ausone is famed for its small size, steep limestone terraces and unwavering commitment to quality. The estate’s unique terroir and high proportion of Cabernet Franc give its wines a singular character—perfumed, mineral and built for long aging. Under the stewardship of Alain Vauthier, Ausone has reinforced its status as a reference-point estate, consistently producing some of the most sought-after and ageworthy wines in Bordeaux.

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