Château Ausone

The name of Château Ausone

Château Ausone takes its name from Decimus Magnus Ausonius, poet, teacher and political advisor of the Late Roman Empire, born in Burdigala (Bordeaux) in 309. History has it that the Gallo-Roman villa of Palat discovered to the south of the estate was once owned by the poet's family.

Another story explains that the Tour d'Ausone was a medieval tower, located on the site of La Madeleine. Geoffroy de La Chassaigne, a great lover of Roman antiquities, is said to have nicknamed it so in the 16th century.

Although the origin of the name has not been proven, the owners of the property have been known with certainty since the Middle Ages, as there are only three of them: the Lescours family from the 13th to 16th centuries, Jacques de Lescure and his descendants in the 17th century and, finally, an unbroken line of the Vauthier family from 1690 up to Alain Vauthier, the current owner.

The Château Ausone vineyard

The Château Ausone vineyard covers 7 hectares and is planted exclusively with red grape varieties, with Cabernet franc making up 55% and Merlot 45%. The average age of the vines is 50 years.
Château Ausone's production is limited, with only 15 to 18,000 bottles per year, but it is an exceptional wine.
It benefits from a remarkable terroir, with great continuity throughout the estate. Through hard work, it has established itself at the forefront of the Saint Emilion appellation, being the only one, along with Château Cheval Blanc, to become Premier Grand Cru classé A in 1959.

The vineyard begins at the edge of the medieval city's southern ramparts, on clay-limestone soils, on asteriated limestone. The vines are organically grown and harvested by hand. The slopes face south-southeast. They are protected from the west and north winds, which greatly benefits the quality of the grapes. Thanks to this microclimate, the vines hold up well in hot, even scorching years.

The vines are grown with the greatest respect for the environment. The entire ecosystem is preserved, thanks to the presence of fruit trees, hedges and aromatic plants. These provide shelter for the fauna - birds, insects and bats - that feed on the pests that could attack the vines. Natural treatments include wicker, valerian and nettles.

Chateau Ausone wines

The Château Ausone

Château Ausone wine is emblematic of Saint Émilion, with highly aromatic blends that reveal the specific character of the limestone terroir. Its style is long, fresh and mineral. Château Ausone resonates on the palate, expressing all its finesse, right through to its perfectly balanced finish.

La Chapelle d'Ausone

La Chapelle d'Ausone is the château's second wine, but benefits from the same conditions of excellence. It comes from the estate's youngest vines. The Merlot is more present to amplify its crispness, but the Cabernet Franc is always there to contribute to its elegance.