Bordeaux Chapelle Ausone Magnum 2019

The Estate

Château Ausone — The Second Wine of a Saint-Émilion Legend

La Chapelle d’Ausone is the second wine of the illustrious Château Ausone, one of only four estates to hold the coveted Premier Grand Cru Classé A status in Saint-Émilion. Perched on the limestone slopes of the Saint-Émilion plateau, Château Ausone traces its heritage back to the Roman poet Ausonius, who reputedly cultivated vines on this hallowed terroir in the 4th century. Under the meticulous stewardship of the Vauthier family since 1997, both Ausone and its second label have reached extraordinary heights of quality and acclaim.

La Chapelle d’Ausone showcases the estate’s signature elegance and refinement, crafted from younger vines and parcels declassified from the grand vin selection. It offers collectors an accessible entry point into the Ausone universe while maintaining the estate’s exacting standards of precision viticulture and minimal-intervention winemaking that have made Château Ausone a benchmark of Bordeaux’s Right Bank.

This Lot

Available as Magnum (1.5L) — ideal for collectors and long-term cellaring.

Terroir & Grapes

Limestone Slopes of the Right Bank

The vineyards of Château Ausone occupy a privileged position on the steep limestone côte of Saint-Émilion, where ancient sedimentary bedrock provides exceptional natural drainage and mineral complexity. This distinctive astéries limestone, unique to this corner of Bordeaux, imparts a characteristic tension and vertical energy to the wines. La Chapelle d’Ausone draws from younger vines and selected parcels that reflect this noble terroir while offering earlier approachability than the grand vin.

Vinification & Ageing

Precision Winemaking in the Ausone Tradition

La Chapelle d’Ausone benefits from the same meticulous winemaking philosophy as the grand vin, with hand-harvesting at optimal phenolic ripeness and rigorous parcel-by-parcel vinification. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled vessels with gentle extraction to preserve the wine’s natural elegance and aromatic purity. The estate’s minimalist approach emphasizes respect for the fruit and terroir expression above technological intervention.

Élevage typically unfolds over 12 to 16 months in French oak barrels, with a judicious proportion of new wood to add structure without overwhelming the wine’s inherent finesse. The second wine showcases a more accessible fruit profile than Ausone while retaining the estate’s signature precision and limestone-driven minerality.

Vintage Character

2019 — A Classic Bordeaux Vintage

The 2019 vintage in Bordeaux delivered near-ideal growing conditions, with a warm, dry summer allowing for excellent phenolic maturity while retaining natural acidity and freshness. On the Right Bank, Merlot and Cabernet Franc achieved beautiful balance, producing wines of classical structure with vibrant fruit and refined tannins. Early reports praised 2019 as a vintage combining the precision of cooler years with the generosity of warmer vintages, offering wines built for both medium-term enjoyment and extended cellaring potential.

Tasting Notes

Refined Elegance with Limestone Precision

La Chapelle d’Ausone 2019 reveals a brilliant ruby-garnet robe in the glass, introducing aromas of crushed red berries, wild strawberry, and violet with subtle notes of graphite and cedar. The palate shows the estate’s hallmark elegance: silky tannins frame a core of precise red fruit, complemented by whispers of limestone minerality and fine-grained oak. The finish is long and refined, with bright acidity and gentle grip suggesting a wine that will evolve gracefully over the next decade while offering considerable pleasure in its youth.

Service & Pairing

Serving Recommendations

This refined Saint-Émilion pairs beautifully with classic French preparations: roasted duck breast with cherry reduction, beef tenderloin with wild mushrooms, or herb-crusted rack of lamb. The wine’s minerality and freshness also complement aged Comté or truffle-enriched risotto. Decant 60 to 90 minutes before serving to allow the aromatics to blossom fully, revealing the wine’s underlying complexity and terroir character.

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