Chapelle d'Ausone 2015

9,000 bottles this year (more than the usual 7,000–8,000), using 10% Cabernet Sauvignon along with the Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Fragrant, elegant nose. Lovely texture. A touch of sweetness, then really fine, matted tannins. Seductive but also structured.

Gorgeous perfumes of lavender, roses, currants, blackberries and violets follow through to a full body, with soft, round, beautifully textured tannins. Alluring and inviting to drink now. Beautiful length. Very open and savory for the second wine of Ausone.

It is hard to believe this is a second wine with all that is going on here. The black and red fruits are ripe, intense, fresh and sweet. The tannins are soft and ripe, giving you soft, polished, elegant textures, volume and complexity.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim, soft notes of cranberries and liquorice, fine dark berry confit, tobacco nuances. Juicy, fruity, elegant texture, fine, ripe tannins, lively structure, some nougat on the finish, soft chocolatey nuances on the finish, a reliable food wine. Anything but a second wine.

Starting with the second wine of Ausone, the 2015 Chapelle d'Ausone checks in at roughly 45% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a screaming good wine offering notes of black raspberries, licorice, smoked earth, and exotic flowers. With fabulous opulence, full-bodied richness, ripe tannin, and a stacked mid-palate, it’s a serious wine that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.

Deep purple, dense at the core, with garnet highlights at the rim. Delicate bouquet of blackberries and dark malt, showing a lovely spiciness. On the palate, juicy and elegant, with a fine-grained core that lends a certain breed; currently still a bit upfront. Has room to improve.

Deep purple, dense at the center, with garnet highlights at the rim. Delicate bouquet of blackberries and dark malt, showing lovely spice. On the palate, juicy and elegant, with a finely structured core that lends a certain breed; for now it still comes across a touch upfront. Has room to improve.

Silky, elegant, fresh, fragrant bouquet, red berries, mint, tobacco, fine liquorice. Light, refined, perfumed palate with sweet fruit, fine-grained tannins, good aromatics, peppery, slightly bitter finish. 17/20 2022 - 2032

Chapelle d’Ausone 2015 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot and is deep garnet-colored. It tumbles out of the glass with expressive notes of baked blackberries, plum pudding, chocolate-covered cherries, and licorice, followed by hints of stewed black tea, Sichuan pepper, and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is plush and seductive, delivering mouth-filling black fruit preserves and plenty of mineral sparks, finishing long and spicy.

Expressive and refined silkiness with tannins that are already well in place.

Less powerful than Ausone, La Chapelle 2015 shares its distinctive elegance and singular vibrancy.

Garnet red with purple highlights. A complex, elegant bouquet revealing floral and fruity notes. Pleasant spicy touch, hints of bacon. Lively, charming, fruit-forward attack. On the palate the wine is creamy and ample, with very fine-grained, perfectly integrated tannins. The structure sits in the background yet supports the fruit intensity well. Fine, persistent finish.

The nose is delicate, fruity, fairly charming, fairly precise and offers harmony and elegance. It reveals notes of Boysenberry and blackcurrant, with a discreet hint of blueberry, Zan and tobacco. The palate is fruity, fleshy, balanced and smooth, with minerality, freshness, fine volume, indulgence, a lovely silky texture and a fine grain. On the palate, this wine shows notes of blackberry, plum and, more lightly, black cherry, combined with fine notes of juicy blueberry and licorice, as well as a discreet hint of chocolate and subtle touches of sweet spices (Bourbon vanilla, a hint of cardamom). The tannins are fine and velvety. Good length and persistence on notes of juicy fruit, a subtle touch of toasted oak and toasted hazelnut. Power on the finish.

Dark, intense colour with slight evolution. Very aromatic nose, fruity and truffle-like. Here, the oak is a bit more present and the impression is less vibrant than in 2016. The alcohol level is higher. Delicate on the attack, silky mid-palate, particularly pleasant and above all hedonistic; the wine caresses the juicy, noble palate, with a sense of restraint in the aromas. Good length. Give it time.

The colour is fairly deep and the nose shows lovely complexity. The wine is dense, with fine, present tannins and good length. Aged for 20 months with 85% new barrels. 30 hl/ha. 9,000 bottles. Not far from Ausone in other vintages. It has gained in depth. 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The second wine of Château Ausone, this is a great bottling in its own right. Powerful tannins merge into equally fine black fruits. The tannins and a complex mix between ripe fruit, acidity and spice go together into an impressive wine for aging. Drink from 2027.