There are wines, and then there is Château Ausone. A name that echoes through centuries, a legend whispered in the corridors of Bordeaux’s most elite châteaux. The 2022 vintage is not just another release; it is an experience, a masterpiece, a privilege. For those who seek the extraordinary, welcome to the pinnacle of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru.

From its enviable perch above the Dordogne, Château Ausone boasts a terroir that many consider the finest in all of Bordeaux. It is here, amidst ancient limestone and Roman ruins, that magic happens. The vines, cradled by nature and nurtured by generations of the Vauthier family, produce some of the most profound wines in the world.

The 2022 vintage carries the weight of history with the precision of modern craftsmanship. Under the meticulous eye of Alain and Pauline Vauthier, every detail has been finessed to perfection. This is not mass production; this is an artisanal endeavor. With a micro-production of approximately 1,500 cases, each bottle is an exclusive treasure, a collector’s dream.

Château Ausone’s unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in every sip. Once an underdog in the mid-20th century, the estate has risen to reclaim its rightful place among the elite. The Vauthier family’s dedication, combined with their refusal to compromise, has cemented Château Ausone as a benchmark for right-bank Bordeaux.

In 2021, the estate made waves by opting out of Saint-Émilion’s official classification—a bold statement that reaffirms Ausone’s unquestionable supremacy. Why seek validation when greatness speaks for itself? The 2022 vintage will be the first to no longer carry the Premier Grand Cru Classé A designation, but let there be no doubt—this is still an icon, still one of the most sought-after wines in the world.

2022 was an outstanding vintage in Right Bank. Wine Spectator blessed this year with a 95-98pt review and said: "A beautiful vintage, Wines are very aromatic and sleek, with Pomerol and St.-Emilion excelling."

Aging: 24 months in 100% new French oak. 

55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot. Expect an opulent yet finessed expression of Saint-Émilion: rich, layered, and breathtakingly elegant. The 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot blend delivers a symphony of complexity—think black cherries, cassis, violets, and crushed rocks, underscored by a whisper of exotic spice. The palate is seamless, offering waves of power and grace, guided by sculpted tannins and an endless finish. This is Bordeaux at its most aristocratic.

Hands down one of the wines of the vintage, shows power and depth coupled at every point with lift and grip, stretches out through the palate, slowly but surely delivering a tickle of spiced sage and saffron, with sappy blackcurrant and graphite. 100% new oak, harvest september 5 to 27, organic conversion, 54 years average vines, Vauthier family shows once again how well they judge construction and architecture. First year not officially a Premier Grand Cru Classé A, but they have kept the ranking off the label for a number of years, so no change on that level.~100 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Deep dark ruby in colour with purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. On the nose, an immensely engaging bouquet with Intense berry fruit, floral and underpinned with liquorice, very fresh and attractive. The palate is juicy, with silky supporting tannins, mineral and highly elegant with fine red berry fruit and a saline finish. A fine wine with great length, and very good potential for further development. ~99 Falstaff

Wow. This is such a big and beautiful Ausone with huge depth that slowly uncoils. Really powerful, mineral and naturally concentrated, with iron, chalk and a rich, almost opulent core of black fruit, but really fresh, with chiseled tapenade and wood spices that only tiptoe on the nose. Superb intensity hidden beneath the palate, with a matrix of chalky tannins that vibrate, shine and extend. Nothing stops it at the finish, which lasts well over a minute. Almost beguilingly drinkable considering the tannin quality, which is so fine and energetic, but I'd give it at least 3-4 years to let the wood spices integrate more and let the wine grow with more complexity. A bigger Ausone with higher alcohol, but fantastic and rather outrageous. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. This will age well for at least two decades. ~98 James Suckling

(50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot) Nice fresh nose, precise, elegant and offers power in finesse, an airy side in its grain as well as depth/elegance from the limestone. We find notes of fresh pepper, fresh spices and slight notes of fresh wild blackberry associated with touches of small bright blue fruits, bright strawberry as well as hints of sense of the place (local biotop) and nutmeg. . The palate is nicely structured and offers freshness, tension, accuracy, a lovely finesse of fat, roundness, elegance, a lovely freshness/acidity which carries complexity as well as a tangy structure. . On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy blackberry, cornflower, violet and small notes of small fleshy/juicy red fruits associated with touches of toasted almond, fresh hazelnut, hints of crushed plum as well as hints of fine hints of vanilla and toast. A subtle chewiness at the end of the mouth. Beautiful delicious persistence. Lovely flavor! A sunny side, quite ripe but full of lightness, finesse and freshness. ~98 VertdeVin

The Grand Vin from this hallowed terroir is an even split of Cabernet Franc and Merlot that was fermented in wooden vats and will spend 20 months in new barrels. Its saturated purple hue is followed by an up-front, sexy, full-bodied Ausone offering a wealth of fruit as well as notes of black cherries, blueberries, chocolate, scorched earth, and an incredible sense of spring flowers. Concentrated and incredibly pure, with silky tannins on the palate, it has the texture and fruit to almost shine even now but should still evolve for 30 years or more.  Lastly, the Grand Vin 2022 Château Ausone is based on equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot that spent 20 months in new barrels. Smoky black cherries, mulberries, iron, violets, and spring flower notes are just some of its nuances, and it's deep purple-hued, with full-bodied richness and a surprising level of elegance, purity, and precision. This is one of the more elegant, finesse-driven, yet still incredibly powerful examples of this Château that I can remember. It deserves a decade of cellaring and will evolve for half a century. ~98+ Jeb Dunnuck

The 2022 Ausone, which was the earliest-picked ever on September 5 (although that is later than Cheval Blanc) has another very intense bouquet with layers of plush blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and incense aromas that are beautifully entwined with the 100% new oak. Hints of blood orange emerge with a few minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with silky tannins and perfectly pitched acidity. The slightly higher proportion of Cabernet Franc imparts a touch more pepperiness toward the finish. You can feel this on your tongue long after it has departed. There is a surfeit of freshness on the finish. This is an outstanding Ausone that can look forward to a very long future. ~98 Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Quite intense nose, strongly perfumed and scented with purple flowers and a mix of red and black fruit. Fragrant with chocolate, tobacco, cedar, cinnamon, crushed stones and liquorice. Aromatically very inviting. Plush and sapid, tannins are ripe but the acidity gives it real tension so you get some intensity of texture and sharpness of fruit on the palate making it a bit serious and tense right now though with lovely detail and lots of precision in terms of tannins and fruit. Mouthwatering acidity is at the fore, really giving some zing and electricity to this while the crushed stones, liquorice and clove spice give the accents around the edges. Clear strength and concentration, such power underneath - you do feel the heat from the alcohol (15.4%!) but the acidity and soft mineral elements help keep the balance and frame though it’s not as demonstrably mineral as some years. Acidity does settle and this expands slowly - keeping the linearity and sense of focus but also giving hints to its power and ageability. Sculpted and well delivered, characterful and confident with long ageing potential. Long finish with graphite, pencil lead and toasted spices on the finish. 3.57pH 85% grand vin, 20,000 bottles. Harvest 5 and 9 September for Merlot, 21 and 27 September for Cabernet Franc. A yield of 38hl/ha. Potential upscore in bottle. ~96 Decanter

The 2022 Ausone opens in the glass with a brooding bouquet of raspberry preserve, licorice, rose petals and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, deep and dense, it's layered and textural, with a sweet core of fruit framed by powdery, youthfully grippy tannins, concluding with a discreetly heady finish. It's a serious, structured Ausone that will require a bit of patience. ~95+ Robert Parker's Wine Advocate