Hefty, structured tannins, dark chocolate, espresso and liqourice root. This is powerful, the quality and complexity in full evidence from beginning to end, unrolls in waves and uses its pummice stone and slate-edged structure to climb towards a mouthwatering finish. A wine that I have tasted twice in the past two months, and you feel it is both barely showing its hand, and yet aleady effortless asserting its brilliance. 40hl/ha, 80% new oak. Harvest October 10-19, 3.5ph.

The 2016 Ausone is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot and it has a deep garnet-purple color. It is incredibly closed to begin, offering glimpses of juicy blackberries, plum preserves, and cedar chest, before unfurling to offer a whole array of exotic spices, sandalwood, violets, and notes of crushed rocks, plus a touch of smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is so closed and tightly knit to start off, delivering peeks at mineral, floral, and opulent spice accents, with a rock-solid structure of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length. It needs a good 8 years+, but should cellar for at least 40 more!

The incredible succulent power in Ausone puts a different perspective on other wines, as it so often does. The epitome of perfumed finesse. The yield is up at 40hl/ha, high for these poor limestone soils, and the remarkable clarity of expression that runs right through the delicate but fleshy raspberry and smoke-tinged palate is helped by a pH of 3.5 (compared to 3.6 last year). In my book this counts as one of the truly exciting signatures of the vintage and that is only boosted by the limestone terroir. Stunning, with enormous persistency and a finish that just doesn't want to quit. From a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barrels. 98-100 points. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/wine-reviews/france/bordeaux/chateau-ausone-st-emilion-1er-grand-cru-classe-a-2016-11132#eiiRwPyA2whl7L1Z.99

Flowers, blackberry, boysenberry, licorice and blue fruit are complicated by smoke and crushed rocks to conjure up the aura and the essence. On the palate, the wine is full bodied, intense and nearly bottomless in depth. The character evokes molten minerals blended with the perfect fruits. There is a sense of purity in the red, blue and black fruits, which revolves in the racy finish. Using an even split of 50% Cabernet Franc with 50% Merlot, the wine reached 14% alcohol with a pH of 3.5 and is aging in 100% new French oak barrels. This represents 75% of the crop, the yields being 40 hectoliters per hectare.

The 2016 Ausone is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's quite closed at first glance, slowly unfurling to reveal the most incredible perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, warm black plums, Black Forest cake and roasted nuts with suggestions of charcuterie, wood smoke and cedar chest. The medium to full-bodied palate offers a quiet intensity of flavors that grow in the mouth to unveil layer after layer of black and red berries intertwined with beautiful savory notions framed by firm yet velvety tannins, finishing with epic length and amazing energy. It practically tingles on the palate! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Beautifully structured, this wine has elegance despite its heft and richness. It has the enticing acidity of the year as well as concentration and generous, spicy, perfumed Cabernet Franc. This is a wine to age and it will not be ready before 2025.

Great nose of red fruit with just a hint of pomegranate. So poised and precise for a wine with this much concentration and structure. The richness is welded to a stack of fine tannins that gives this a stunning balance of ripeness and vitality. Very long, focused finish that has a lot of drive, without being a jot domineering. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

The 2016 Château Ausone is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and isn’t far off the thrilling 2015, although it shows a more seamless, elegant character. Loads of spice, crushed violets, floral notes and subtle oak give way to a full-bodied beauty that has thrilling cassis and black raspberry fruits, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great, great finish. This thrilling Ausone needs 4-6 years of bottle age but will keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck