Ausone 2000 (1.5L)

100 RP / 100 WCI / 98 WE

Proprietor Alain Vauthier has produced a prodigious wine that captures the essence of Ausone's terroir. A saturated black/purple color is followed by sensational aromas of ink, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and that wet stones/liquid minerality characteristic. The wine has phenomenal presence on the palate as well as astonishing richness and purity. Despite its extract, power, and richness, it is remarkably light, with a surreal delicacy. It is a tour de force in winemaking and a compelling expression of this magical terroir. It should prove to be legendary, but sadly, anyone over the age of 50 will probably not live to see it come close to maturity. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2075. 100 pts Robert Parker

If your thing is ripe, red fruits poured over rocks, stones and salty minerals with the weight and density of motor oil, a perfume that packs flowers, wet earth, truffle, herbs, oceanic brine and a basket of red and black pit fruits, with a finish that coats your palate, teeth and gums for over 60 seconds, this could be your wine. Still young, but with a long future, and by long, I mean 60-80 years, this is what great wine is all about. If you are planning on popping a bottle, give it 2-3 hours in the decanter, else wait a decade for it to evolve, soften and add even more complexity.-Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider

Forget all those garage wines, forget the upstarts of Saint-Emilion. When you want real class, you have to turn to Ausone. What a wine - magnificently dense and opaque, hugely rich and sensual. Yet it doesn't seem in the least decadent - for deep inside the wine is a huge backbone of ripe tannins. Keep for at least 10 years — Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast