EN
EN FR CN ZN

Château Ausone

The magic of Saint-Emilion in this Premier Grand Cru classé "A"

Ausone, named after the famous Roman poet, shares with Cheval Blanc the distinction of being the greatest Saint-Emilion, thanks to its exceptional vineyard which produces every year one of Bordeaux’s mythical wines.

Records mention the existence of the vineyard at least as early as 1592. The estate was founded by two families, the Chatonnets and the Cantenants. In more recent times, for two centuries, Château Ausone was the property of the Vauthier and the Dubois-Challon families.

Today it belongs to Alain Vauthier and his sister Catherine, who bought their aunt Hélyette Dubois-Challon’s share in 1997. Alain Vauthier runs the estate and makes the wine. Since 2005 his daughter Pauline, a qualified oenologist, has been working with him.

The site is exceptional: divided between the limestone plateau and Saint-Emilion’s calcareous clay slope, facing east-south-east and sheltered on its north and west sides, Ausone was one of very few Saint-Emilions to come unscathed through the terrible frosts of February 1956. The 7 hectares of vineyard, lying in a single plot around the château, are planted with 55% of Cabernet Franc and 45% of Merlot. The vines are very old, with an average age of 50 years. Their low yield (33 hectolitres per hectare) in part explains the wine’s concentration and its potential for improving over time.
Roughly 1,500 cases of Ausone are produced each year. Barrels and bottles are stored in large, cool, humid galleries of unvarying temperature, which were cut out of the hill at the end of the 16th century to provide stone for the restoration of the Saint-Emilion town walls. Vinification is carried out in temperature-controlled oak vats. The wine is then aged in barrel for about 20 months.

“Bordeaux is my homeland, with its gentle breeze, its merciful sky, the generous gifts of its fertile soil, its long spring and its warming morning mists. The mighty tidal river, below the vine-bedecked slopes foams and boils as it surges towards the sea like a wave.”

Procession of famous towns, Ausonius

More featured partners

View all partners
The consumption of alcohol is dangerous for your health. Please consume these wines in moderation.

© 2023 Copyright – Le Club FICOFI® | Design by OLC  

EN
EN FR CN ZN
Login to Le Club FICOFI®

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website as specified in our Cookie Policy. You can consent to the use of such technologies by clicking on “I agree”.

I agree