Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Many critics would say the 2002 vintage fell short, not here. In every difficult vintage, some producers still made a good wine. The 2nd wine of Chateau Ausone is amazing with the Ribcap.

21 years in bottle says, magic. I have had better Bordeaux but, not in some time.

The fruits on the nose & palate are gloriously Bordeaux ruby.

The palate entry glides. Heavenly; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked plum pudding, creamy raspberries, poached strawberries and a touch of pomegranate seeds. Dry & moist tobacco, sweet graphite, charcoal, dark, rich earth with leaves, dry herbs, very soft baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, the best dark spices I can remember, limestone, moist clay, crushed, dry rocks, hints of menthol/eucalyptus, dry twig, dry pebbles, withering to dry, dark, red flowers, liquid violets with a touch of red roses, near perfect acidity, balance, tension, elegance for days and a finish that last 90 seconds and falls on beautiful earth tones.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! — 5 months ago

L Guerci

9.0

Wonderful duty free purchase — 2 years ago

Peter Rosenfeld

9.2

Delicious 2014. Needed 1 hour to sing to us — 5 years ago

Michael Walker

9.9

PJW 6 pack for his visit - this is OTH, definitely some funk, Paul says wasn’t kept well, but great bones, it really grew on me as it opened - smoky, a bit of cobwebs, love it. Should seek out a ‘16 — 6 months ago

Cody LaRocque

9.0

Found one of these bottles lying around from 1996 — 2 years ago

Milos Milosevic

8.9

Nice one Light and not pretentious — 5 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

8.9

2012 vintage. Alexandre de Malet Roquefort (owner of Premier Grand Cru Classé La Gaffelière, Chapelle d'Aliénor Bordeaux Supérieur and co-owner of the tiny Pomerol estate La Connivence) bought this estate in 1999. In my experience his wines are very reliable and classic, elegant and never overextracted. This medium-bodied Saint-Emilion (90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) is a solid effort for the vintage (that generally fared much better for Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon). Strawberry fruit and very subtle oak, freshness and balance. Drinking well now, but I feel there is more room for improvement. A nice wine nearing maturity. The only "problem" is that for the price (21,9 euro) you can buy the delicious 2015 second wine of La Gaffelière. — 5 years ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.4

Nose is deep, charming and complex. In the mouth it enters with strength and bitterness which turns into herbal freshness towards the end.
— 10 months ago

Andrea Watt

9.4

Leather, truffle, cinnamon, and plum. Dark, earthy and smooth. — a year ago

Thomas McKee

9.2

A very nice smooth wine with rich red fruit flavours and a long finish. Paired perfectly with the grilled tenderloins and risotto — 5 years ago