Château Ausone

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Premier Grand Cru Classé)

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

2006

Vintage

Varietal

Bordeaux Blend

ABV

Peak 2011-2041

Where it is, June 2026

At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2011-2041).

In 2026 this 2006 Ausone sits squarely mid-peak, twenty years from harvest and still climbing toward the center of its plateau. The drinking window opened in 2009, the peak band runs 2011 through 2041, and hard decline does not arrive until 2053, so a long runway remains. Tannins that once needed time have softened into the rounded, supple texture Parker described, yet the limestone backbone keeps everything precise. There is no urgency to pour; a bottle opened now shows beautifully, while cellared examples will hold and gain tertiary complexity for another fifteen-plus years before the slow descent begins.

Related vintages

The ‘06 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Premier Grand Cru Classé).

Parker's 98-point 2006 Ausone is a refined, limestone-driven Saint-Emilion: smoke, cigar box, and dark berries on a symmetrical frame, mid-peak in 2026 with decades of runway.

Drinking window

The arcYou are here · at peak, 2026

Tasting note

Robert Parker awarded the 2006 Ausone 98 points, calling it a candidate for wine of the vintage. A fragrant bouquet of smoke, cigar box, potpourri, and a smear of Seville orange marmalade leads to a palate of exceptional refinement, rounded, supple, and elegantly dry, with a classic backbone of dark berries and tobacco. This is built on medium-full body (7), firm but symmetrical tannin (7), and measured acidity (5) that frames rather than sharpens, the hallmark of fruit grown on the limestone cotes. Tannins are well-integrated and resolve into a finish that is precise and enduringly long, while the mineral, cigar-box lift gives the wine its cool, refined signature. Half Cabernet Franc, half Merlot, it trades power for poise: an aromatic, structured Saint-Emilion that rewards attention rather than overwhelming the palate.

The 2006 vintage

The 2006 right bank was a selective vintage. After the great 2005, the season turned patchy, and up to 150mm of September rain across Saint-Emilion forced a hard choice between picking slightly under-ripe with firmer tannin or risking rot. Top vineyards on the best limestone and clay-limestone sites made balanced, classic reds; lesser-placed estates came in a touch austere. The cooler, firmer style rewarded rigorous selection and great terroir, and Ausone overperformed, rated by Decanter as the best in Bordeaux that year.

About Château Ausone

Chateau Ausone is a Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A perched on the limestone cotes, with a slice of vineyard on the plateau above. Tiny in output and guided by owner-winemaker Alain Vauthier, the estate draws its refinement and cool minerality straight from that limestone, working an near equal split of old-vine Cabernet Franc and Merlot for poise over power.

From the cellar: pair with

Roasted rack of lamb with herbs

The lamb's richness meets firm tannin (7) head-on, while medium-full body (7) matches the meat without burying its herbal edge, letting the wine stay refined rather than heavy.

Duck breast with cherry sauce

The duck's fat coats the palate so symmetrical tannin (7) cuts cleanly through, and moderate acidity (5) lifts the cherry and the wine's own dark-berry fruit without turning sharp.

Aged Comte and mushroom tart

Earthy mushroom echoes the cigar-box and tobacco notes, the cheese's nuttiness flatters medium-full body (7), and acidity (5) keeps the buttery pastry from weighing the pairing down.

Service & cellaring

Serving Temp: 60-64F (16-18C)
Decanting: Decant 60 to 90 minutes before serving. At twenty years old the wine is rounded and supple, but a decant lets the smoke, cigar box, and dark-berry aromatics unfurl and softens the still-firm tannin (7) into the silky frame the vintage is known for; pour off any fine sediment.
Cellar Storage: 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.

Track this bottle Read the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru guide

The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.

Frequently Asked

When should I drink the 2006 Chateau Ausone?

Now through roughly 2041 is the heart of its window. The wine opened in 2009 and is mid-peak in 2026, so it drinks beautifully today while cellared bottles will keep gaining complexity for another fifteen-plus years before a slow decline toward 2053.

Should I decant this wine?

Yes. Give it 60 to 90 minutes in a decanter. At twenty years the tannin (7) is rounded but still present, and air coaxes out the smoke, cigar box, and Seville orange notes while smoothing the finish. Decanting also separates the fine sediment a wine of this age throws.

What food pairs best with the 2006 Ausone?

Reach for refined, savory mains: roasted rack of lamb, duck breast with cherry, or an aged Comte and mushroom tart. The firm tannin (7) and medium-full body (7) want some fat and protein, while acidity (5) keeps richer dishes from feeling heavy alongside it.

How much longer can I cellar the 2006 Ausone?

Comfortably another fifteen-plus years. Peak runs through 2041 and hard decline does not arrive until 2053, so well-stored bottles at 55F with stable humidity have ample runway. There is no rush to open, and patience will reward you with deeper tertiary character.

What should I open next in a similar style?

Stay on the limestone right bank. Start with our [Bordeaux cellar guide](/wines/region/bordeaux), explore more [Bordeaux Blend wines](/wines/varietal/bordeaux-blend), or pour the [2005 Château Ausone Saint-Émilion Grand Cru](/wines/chateau-ausone/saint-emilion-grand-cru-premier-grand-cru-classe/2005) for a richer, riper read on the same estate and terroir.