Château Ausone 1990

After revealing some amber at the edge as well as copious aromas of fruitcake, crushed rocks, incense, and a weedy character, the 1990 Ausone offers up sweet, jammy fruit notes as well as a firm finish with the tell-tale crushed rock minerality that this estate often achieves. The aromatics suggest a fully mature wine, but in the mouth, the firm structure and density indicate this effort needs more time. This wine gives off mixed signals, and I suspect it will last much longer than it appears, but only time will tell. There is a lot to like here, but the 1990 is not one of the most profound Ausones, such as those made since 1998. Owners should try a bottle and make up their own minds, but I think it has another 10- to 15-year window of maximum pleasure. Release price: ($3500.00/case)

Chewy, monolithic wine. Aromas of dried herbs and berries. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a tar, tobacco aftertaste. Puckers your mouth with tannins. Will improve with age.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 2,150 cases made.

Mid-crimson with ruby rim. Toasty, appetising nose with some vigour. Very elegant wine with a certain noblesse and certainly some tannins for the future. But not all-enveloping class. Quite rigid tannins for the amount of fruit. (JR)

On the sharp, bright, red berry side of the style range, with crushed stone, thyme and forest leaf edge, the wine is medium bodied, fresh, and ready to go. You find a sharp, semi sweet, red berry note dominating the finish.

Deep garnet, dense at the core. Initially rather challenging, then becoming sweeter, with red-berry tendencies, delicate honey notes, and lots of complexity. On the palate, plenty of concentration, a rich, almost compact, essence-like extract, with dry astringency. A monumental wine whose true drinking window will really begin in about ten years.

A great Ausone! I already knew it at the barrel tasting (18/20): a restrained, sweet-leaning nose with spicy terroir notes; very clean, wild raspberries, with similarities to a great Rioja. A refined, feminine palate, velvety tannins, well balanced, with a delicate, slightly sweet finish. Better than the ’89. In its fruity phase I also scored it 19/20. This suggests that around 2010 this wine will be among the finest ’90s. In any case, the tannic potential should carry it for many decades! 99: Deep, saturated color with a fine watery rim. Open, slightly chocolatey bouquet, pointing to a Merlot that is already beginning to mature; hints of honey, but also a subtle airy note. Soft palate, finely sandy extract, still firm, slightly edgy astringency; it will continue to develop, but will reach its peak a little before the ’88. 00: Magnum: rather difficult at first, then becoming sweeter, with red-berry tendencies, a delicate honey note, very multi-layered. On the palate, lots of concentration, rich, almost compressed, essence-like extract, dry astringency. A powerhouse wine whose true drinking window will only begin in about ten years. (19/20). 15: Quite dark wine-red, a bit dull in the middle. Reserved bouquet, slightly earthy, showing a dry sweetness; it opens only slowly, showing sweaty leather and raisin notes from partly overripe fruit. On the nose, though, it lacks the class of a Premier. On the palate still robust, but even after 25 years it still hasn’t found harmony; a piquant acidic edge, and still plenty of unfinished tannins. In itself it could have further potential, but I don’t see the future in a positive light. This bottle: 16/20. 16: Fill level: perfect. Medium garnet with a subtly lightening rim. Open bouquet, pink peppercorn, red currant; still comes across as quite fresh, yet shows fine, non-intrusive slightly underripe fruit notes. Everything is accompanied by a buttery undertone and a delicate raisiny sweetness. On the palate, juicy, long and well balanced, with a gently compote-like middle, but also some firmer notes. It has gained a little in recent years.

A sweet, velvety, complex, fresh bouquet with notes of strawberries, blueberries, pralines, cinnamon, liquorice, delicate dried fruits and thyme. The palate is balanced, subtly opulent, creamy and sweet, with intense, sweet aromatics and a long, refined finish. 18/20 Drink by 2028.

Logo on the cork: SBM Dark colour, moderately intense and very evolved. A discreet, smoky nose. Old leather. The palate is slender and delicately fleshy, gaining breadth from mid-palate through to the finish, ending savoury and seamless. This is a wine from another era that will mainly appeal to aesthetes and seasoned connoisseurs. But today, its charm is gone.