Chateau Ausone   Ausone

1999 Ausone

By Chateau Ausone

1999 Ausone from Chateau Ausone, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux

The 1999 vintage from the storied Chateau Ausone firmly encapsulates the essence of a remarkable season in Saint-Émilion. It is a vintage that deftly demonstrates the adaptability and precision of this revered Bordeaux estate. In reviewing the 1999 Ausone, one finds a compelling narrative in the bottle—one of artistry and resilience against the temperamental climatic backdrop of the year.

 

Intimately Crafted: A Wealth of Nuance

As a seasoned observer of Bordeaux's many faces, the 1999 vintage arrives in stark contrast to its more lauded peers within the decade. This year’s release was marked by a growing season with variable weather, culminating in harvest-time diligence that was crucial for optimum ripening. The expertise of Chateau Ausone shines through in the precision with which it harnessed these challenges. Their meticulous vineyard management and selective harvesting allowed only the finest grapes to be ushered into their chai.

 

An Exceptional Vintage Ensures Cellar-Worthy Investment

The debut to palate is characterized by an enthralling minerality that harks to the limestone-rich soils of Saint-Émilion’s auspicious slopes. Such mineral notes are deftly interwoven with ripe blackberry fruit and a hint of dark chocolate — trademark subtleties that echo through this vintage’s evolving profile. The 1999 Ausone presents a structure that is seamless yet pronounced, promising further intricacies for those who afford it additional time in their cellars.

As with fine art, there is an intimate investment potential bound to this example from Chateau Ausone — not merely fiscal, but sentimental and sensorial. Savvy collectors and enthusiasts will acknowledge that acquiring such a vintage is not simply an addition to a portfolio; it is inviting history and craftsmanship into one’s personal anthology.

In summary, those pursuing an investment in fine wines would do well to note the distinctiveness of the 1999 Ausone. With its poised expression of a complex year, this offering from Chateau Ausone represents both a masterclass in winemaking agility and an opportunity for connoisseurs to secure an exceptional vintage noted for its cellar worthiness and unfolding potential.

Current market price

$7,210.00

12x75cl

Highest score

95

POP score

288

Scores and tasting notes

95

Is the 1999 Ausone the wine of the vintage? Dense purple color, a compelling bouquet of licorice, minerals, black and blueberry liqueur, extraordinary delineation, high tannin, superb extract, and phenomenal richness all are the stuff of a legend. This wine seems impossible to have emerged from a vintage like 1999. Proprietor Alain Vauthier produced only 20,000 bottles because he eliminated one-fourth of the tiny crop. The result is out-and-out fabulous, but the wine needs 12-15 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 29 April 2002

90

This Ausone has a deep, broody nose with black cherries, iodine, leather and a touch of ginger. The palate is full-bodied with thick chewy tannins, not as fine as more recent vintages. Pure black cherries, iodine, bilberry, a touch of sourness towards the finish that shows a slight hardness. This is what you might describe as a 'steadfast', almost 'conservative' Ausone, but it seems to have lost the exuberance that it demonstrated in its youth. Drink 2012-2025. Tasted June 2009.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal Jul 2009

Vintage performance