Château Ausone 2016 DBMG

Château Ausone 2016 in Double Magnum (3L) is a truly collectible Saint-Émilion, offering one of Bordeaux’s most coveted wines in a majestic large format. A perfectly judged blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot, this vintage is renowned for its precision, depth and almost electric energy on the palate. Classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Ausone represents the pinnacle of Right Bank Bordeaux, and 2016 is already regarded as one of the estate’s modern greats.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2016 Ausone shows a deep, opaque garnet-purple hue, signaling density and concentration from the first swirl. Initially reserved, the wine gradually opens to reveal a strikingly complex bouquet: violet petals, chocolate-covered cherries, warm black plums and Black Forest cake are layered with toasted nuts, fine charcuterie, a wisp of smoke and elegant cedar spice. On the palate, this is medium to full-bodied with a sense of quiet, building intensity rather than immediate opulence. Dark and red berry fruit intertwine with savory nuances, all carried by firm yet exquisitely velvety tannins. There is a palpable energy and tension, a freshness that keeps the generous fruit in perfect balance and stretches into an exceptionally long, almost tingling finish. In Double Magnum, the slower evolution promises outstanding aging potential—expect this wine to develop gracefully over 25–40 years or more, gaining further aromatic complexity and textural refinement.

Production
Château Ausone sits on a privileged limestone and clay plateau and steep terraces just outside the medieval town of Saint-Émilion, on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. This distinctive terroir of pure limestone bedrock and thin topsoils gives the wines both power and a remarkable, almost mineral-driven finesse. Yields are kept very low, and grapes are harvested by hand in multiple passes to ensure perfect ripeness and selection. In 2016, the Cabernet Franc and Merlot were vinified separately in small, temperature-controlled vats to preserve aromatics and fine-tune extraction. The wine was then aged in a high proportion of new French oak barrels, where it underwent a long élevage that polished the tannins and integrated the oak, while allowing the natural character of the vineyard to shine through—especially important in a format as grand as the 3L Double Magnum.

Food & Serving
This is a wine built for refined, contemplative drinking alongside equally noble cuisine. Think classic French dishes such as roast lamb with herbs, dry-aged ribeye, tournedos Rossini, venison or pigeon in a rich jus, as well as truffle-infused dishes and earthy mushroom preparations that echo the wine’s savory complexity. Aged hard cheeses, like Comté or old Gouda, can also provide a superb pairing. Serve at 16–18°C (60–64°F) to highlight its aromatic detail and balance. Given its youth and structure in this large format, decanting for 2–3 hours is recommended in the near term; as it matures, a gentler, shorter decant to remove sediment and allow the bouquet to unfurl will be sufficient.

Producer
Château Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most storied estates, named after the Roman poet Ausonius, who is believed to have owned vineyards in the area some 1,700 years ago. Today, it stands as one of only a handful of Premier Grand Cru Classé A properties in Saint-Émilion, a status that underscores its historic and ongoing importance to the region. With a tiny vineyard area and correspondingly limited production, Ausone has long been revered for its distinctive style, driven by a high proportion of old-vine Cabernet Franc and its dramatic limestone terroir. Across recent decades, the château has consistently produced some of the Right Bank’s most age-worthy and finely etched wines, with vintages like 2016 cementing its reputation among collectors and connoisseurs worldwide.

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