2005 Chapelle d'Ausone, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

The second wine of Ausone, the Chapelle d’Ausone, usually represents about 50% of the production from this tiny historic vineyard. The 2005 has a dense minerality, sweet blueberry and blackberry fruit, and plenty of flowers and crushed rock in a full-bodied, stunningly concentrated style. Amazingly, this second wine is probably better than many of the great Ausones from the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s! Drink it over the next 30+ years.

There are approximately 500 cases of the second wine, the 2005 La Chapelle d’Ausone, which makes a mockery of many grand vins produced at this estate in the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Made in the style of its bigger sibling, it possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet nose of crushed rocks, figs, blackberries, raspberries, smoke, and earth. Softer and more approachable, I would not be surprised if it were preferred over its more powerful, backward sibling in a blind tasting. It is a pure, sweet, undeniably great effort in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.