Château Ausone Chapelle d'Ausone 2021

Chapelle d'Ausone 2021 is the refined second wine of the legendary Château Ausone, offering a beautifully detailed glimpse into one of Saint‑Émilion’s most revered terroirs. In this cooler, classical vintage, it delivers purity, precision and aromatic lift, wrapped in an elegant, medium‑bodied frame. Unusually, no Merlot was used in this blend—every Merlot berry was reserved for the grand vin—making this a rare, Cabernet‑driven expression of Ausone’s limestone slopes.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Chapelle d'Ausone 2021 shows a vibrant, deep ruby color with hints of purple at the rim, signaling both youth and freshness. The nose is finely etched and expressive, with pure notes of red cherry, sweet wild berries and licorice, layered over subtle tones of vanilla, light toast and a gentle creamy impression from new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium‑bodied, clean and poised, with a cool, bright core of crunchy red and black fruit carried by a line of mineral tension. Powdery, ultra‑fine tannins give a silky, chalk‑dust texture, while the acidity lends lift and definition through the mid‑palate. The finish is long and mineral, with lingering nuances of vanilla, licorice and fresh berries. While approachable in its youth after some aeration, this 2021 has the structure and balance to evolve gracefully for 10–15 years, gaining complexity and secondary nuances with time in bottle.

Production
Sourced from the steep, limestone‑rich slopes of Saint‑Émilion, Chapelle d'Ausone 2021 reflects one of Bordeaux’s most distinctive terroirs: thin clay topsoils over pure limestone bedrock, which naturally limits yields and imparts a marked mineral spine. The blend is based on Cabernet Franc with a supporting share of Cabernet Sauvignon, as all the Merlot from the vintage was selected for the grand vin. Grapes are typically harvested by hand in small crates, parcel by parcel, to ensure optimal ripeness and careful selection. In the cellar, the fruit undergoes gentle extraction to preserve finesse rather than power, followed by aging in French oak barrels—many of them new—where the wine develops its creamy patina of oak, fine tannin structure and aromatic complexity, without losing its brightness or precision.

Food & Serving
Chapelle d'Ausone 2021 pairs beautifully with refined dishes that complement its elegance rather than overpower it. Think roast lamb with herbs, veal cutlets, duck breast, roast chicken with truffle, or classic French dishes like boeuf en croûte or pigeon. On the cheese board, opt for aged hard cheeses such as Comté, Ossau‑Iraty or a well‑aged Gouda. Serve at 16–18°C (about 60–64°F) to showcase its aromatic detail and freshness. In its youth, decanting for 1–2 hours is recommended to soften the powdery tannins and allow the cherry, berry and licorice notes to fully unfold; as it matures, a shorter decant just to remove sediment will suffice.

Producer
Château Ausone is one of Bordeaux’s most illustrious estates, a Premier Grand Cru Classé A property perched dramatically on the limestone ridge above the medieval town of Saint‑Émilion. With a history stretching back centuries—and a name said to honor the Roman poet Ausonius—the estate has long been regarded as a benchmark for Cabernet Franc‑driven Right Bank wines. Its tiny vineyard holdings, planted on terraces carved into solid limestone, yield wines of striking intensity, minerality and longevity. Chapelle d'Ausone is the château’s second wine, crafted with the same meticulous care as the grand vin and offering a more accessible, yet still profound, interpretation of this iconic terroir. Over the decades, Ausone has consistently received top critical acclaim, securing its place among the most coveted and collectible wines in the world.

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