Ausone 2003 3L

Château Ausone 2003 is a red Bordeaux wine from the Saint-Émilion appellation. The vintage was marked by a heatwave in Europe, resulting in a hot and dry growing season. This had a significant impact on the wine, with Ausone 2003 being one of the wealthiest and most powerful vintages ever produced by the estate. On the nose, the wine offers intense aromas of black fruit, spices, and vanilla, with hints of oak and earthy undertones. On the palate, it is full-bodied, with a dense and concentrated structure, and flavors of black cherry, plum, licorice, and tobacco. The tannins are firm, and powerful, yet well-integrated, leading to a long, lingering finish. Despite its power and concentration, the wine retains a sense of elegance and finesse, characteristic of the Ausone style. It is a wine that can be enjoyed now with decanting but also has the potential to age for several more decades.

Robert Parker - 100 Points

"Amazing! The limestone soils of Ausone appear to have been the perfect foil for resisting the extreme heat and drought of June, July and August, 2003. This black/purple-colored effort boasts a glorious nose of violets, truffles, lead pencil shavings, blueberry and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied with staggering concentration, a voluptuous texture, low acidity and well-integrated, melted tannins, this deep, multidimensional, profound Bordeaux is beginning to drink exceptionally well. It should continue to do so for another two decades or more"

Antonio Galloni - 95+ Points

"Full ruby. Black raspberry, mocha, minerals, graphite and nutty oak on the super ripe nose. Extravagantly rich and sweet in the mouth without coming off as heavy. This boasts extraordinary fruits intensity and verve (it’s hard to imagine cabernet franc better than this), and finishes with great palate-staining persistence. But this powerfully tannic wine may already be starting to shut down in the bottle. Like the 2005, it will need a decade of aging at a minimum, and possibly a lot longer."