Château Ausone
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Premier Grand Cru Classé)
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Premier Grand Cru Classé A
2018
Vintage
Varietal
Bordeaux Blend
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2023-2053).
In 2026, the Château Ausone 2018 is at year four of a peak drinking arc extending from 2023 through 2053, leaving 27 years of prime enjoyment ahead. This early-peak position places the wine in a favorable stage for both immediate drinking and extended cellaring: the limestone and blackberry-dominated aromatic profile is fully accessible and defined in 2026, the 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot blend showing the beginning of the integration that will develop through the arc's long course, while the well-knit tension and the foundation-shaking finish length that characterize Ausone at its finest are already present and clearly expressed. The wine does not require additional aging to deliver an outstanding drinking experience, but its finest complexity will emerge in the mid-peak years between approximately 2033 and 2045 when the limestone's mineral influence will have more fully integrated with the Cabernet Franc's earthy, truffle-driven aromatic depth. The 2018 Right Bank vintage's combination of exceptional ripeness and limestone-influenced freshness has given the Ausone an exceptional structural foundation for the full 30-year peak arc. Opening a bottle now in 2026 rewards collectors who want to experience the wine's early-peak precision and fruit definition; holding through 2033 to 2040 rewards patience with maximum aromatic complexity and the full expression of the cerebral earthy and mineral subtext that distinguishes Ausone from more typically opulent Right Bank peers.
The ‘18 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Premier Grand Cru Classé).
Ausone 2018 at year four of 30 in peak: limestone, blackberries, white flowers, truffle, and graphite from Saint-Émilion's most cerebral Premier Grand Cru. Twenty-seven peak years remain.
Drinking window
Tasting note
In the glass, the Château Ausone 2018 pours a deep vivid ruby at year four of its peak arc, the color showing the concentrated fruit of the exceptional 2018 Right Bank vintage and the distinctive freshness that the estate's limestone soils contribute even in warm growing seasons. The nose leads with an essence of limestone itself, the mineral character of the ancient carved-rock cellars and the rocky escarpment slopes of the Saint-Émilion hill present as an immediate and defining aromatic signature before the fruit expression opens fully. Blackberries and black raspberries follow with thrilling precision and definition, the 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot blend showing the Right Bank's characteristic dark berry richness with the lifted, refined quality that Cabernet Franc's dominance provides in the Ausone blend. White flowers add a delicate floral lift that is distinctively Cabernet Franc in origin; truffle and forest floor introduce the earthy dimension that deepens the aromatic profile from pure fruit expression toward the cerebral complexity that distinguishes Ausone from more fruit-forward Saint-Émilion wines; graphite adds the mineral, stony thread that runs through the aromatic profile from nose to the extraordinary finish. On the palate the wine shows ripe, rich black and blue fruit that gradually yields to the earthy and mineral subtext carried by fantastically well-knit tension, and the finish is incredibly long and foundation-shaking in its mineral depth and complexity.
The 2018 vintage
The 2018 Bordeaux vintage was defined by a warm, dry summer following significant winter and spring rainfall, the season's moisture reserves sustaining the vines through the heat accumulation of July and August without the vine stress that characterized more drought-affected warm years in the Bordeaux appellation. The Right Bank appellations of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol fared particularly well in 2018, the Cabernet Franc-dominant plantings on limestone and clay soils responding to the warm conditions with exceptional phenolic ripeness while retaining the freshness and mineral character that the Right Bank's distinctive terroir provides. Wine Spectator rated the 2018 Right Bank 97 Classic, recognizing the vintage's outstanding combination of richness, complexity, and structural completeness across Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé releases. For Château Ausone specifically, the 2018 conditions translated into a wine of exceptional ripeness combined with the cerebral earthy and mineral complexity that the limestone escarpment above the town of Saint-Émilion produces at its most accomplished.
About Château Ausone
Château Ausone is among the most celebrated estates in Saint-Émilion and one of the few Premier Grands Crus Classés A on the Right Bank, located on a dramatic limestone escarpment above the ancient town where the estate's iconic carved-rock cellars extend into the hillside below the chateau. The Vauthier family consolidated full ownership of Ausone in 1997 and has since directed the estate toward wines of exceptional mineral depth and structural precision, produced from an unusually high proportion of Cabernet Franc for the Right Bank appellation. The 2018 blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot reflects Ausone's house philosophy of Cabernet Franc dominance, which gives the wines their characteristic floral lift, earthy truffle complexity, and the cerebral mineral subtext that distinguishes them from more Merlot-dominant Saint-Émilion neighbors. Winemaking at Ausone is precise and minimalist, with aging in 100% new oak and extended bottle aging before release that allows the limestone terroir's mineral depth to fully integrate with the wine's aromatic complexity across the estate's exceptionally long peak drinking arcs.
From the cellar: pair with
Truffle-stuffed roasted squab with blackberry reduction and celeriac puree
The wine's truffle and forest floor character, well-knit tension, and Cabernet Franc-driven fruit richness find a natural match in truffle-stuffed squab; blackberry reduction mirrors the wine's primary fruit and celeriac puree adds the earthy limestone mineral depth that the aromatic complexity calls for.
Lamb saddle with Périgueux sauce and wilted Swiss chard
The Ausone 2018's Cabernet Franc-dominant white flower lift and earthy graphite character align classically with lamb saddle's delicate richness; Périgueux sauce adds the truffle dimension that mirrors the wine's own forest floor aromatic depth and Swiss chard provides the mineral, slightly bitter counterpoint the well-knit tension calls for.
Aged Époisses with honey and black pepper walnut bread
The wine's limestone character and the Cabernet Franc's earthy complexity find a provocative counterpoint in washed-rind Époisses; honey bridges the blackberry and black raspberry fruit and black pepper walnut bread amplifies the graphite mineral dimension of the foundation-shaking finish.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 62-64F (17-18C)
- Decanting
- Decant 60 to 90 minutes before serving. At year four of its peak arc, the Ausone 2018 benefits from moderate aeration to open the limestone, truffle, and white flower aromatic complexity without dissipating the precision and tension that define the wine's early-peak character. A longer decant of 2 hours is appropriate for a formal dinner. Serve in a large Bordeaux glass; avoid serving too warm, which risks reducing the freshness that the limestone soils contribute to the aromatic definition.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.
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.
More from Saint-Émilion, Right Bank, Bordeaux
Frequently Asked
Is the Château Ausone 2018 ready to drink in 2026?
Yes, and it has 27 more years of peak drinking ahead. At year four of a 30-year peak arc, the Ausone 2018 is fully accessible in 2026 with limestone character, blackberry and black raspberry precision, white flowers, truffle, and graphite all present and clearly defined. The wine's early-peak quality is exceptional, but the finest expression of the cerebral earthy and mineral subtext will emerge between 2033 and 2045 as the Cabernet Franc's structural depth continues to integrate with the limestone terroir's mineral influence. Opening now rewards immediate complexity; holding through 2033 rewards patience with maximum development. See the [Bordeaux region guide](/wines/region/bordeaux) for more on the 2018 Right Bank vintage.
How long should I decant the Château Ausone 2018?
Decant 60 to 90 minutes before serving. At year four of its peak arc, the Ausone 2018 benefits from moderate aeration to open the limestone, truffle, and white flower aromatic complexity without dissipating the precision and tension that define the wine's early-peak character. A longer decant of 2 hours is appropriate for a formal dinner. Serve in a large Bordeaux glass at 62-64F; avoid serving too warm, which risks reducing the freshness that the limestone soils contribute to the aromatic definition and that distinguishes Ausone from more typically opulent Right Bank peers.
What foods pair best with the Château Ausone 2018?
The wine's Cabernet Franc-dominant truffle, forest floor, and limestone character pairs best with game birds and lamb that echo its earthy complexity without competing with its mineral precision. Truffle-stuffed roasted squab with blackberry reduction brings the forest floor and blackberry dimensions into a unified aromatic experience. Lamb saddle with Périgueux sauce adds the truffle complexity that mirrors the wine's earthy depth. For a dairy pairing, aged Époisses with honey and walnut bread provides a provocative counterpoint where the limestone character finds an unexpected match. See the [Bordeaux Blend varietal guide](/wines/varietal/bordeaux-blend) for more Right Bank pairing philosophy.
What makes the Ausone 2018 exceptional among Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé wines?
Several factors distinguish the Ausone 2018 even within the very small group of Premier Grand Cru Classé A estates on the Right Bank. Ausone's unusually high 60% Cabernet Franc proportion gives the wine a floral lift, earthy depth, and mineral complexity that contrasts with the more fruit-dominant character of Merlot-heavy peers. The estate's limestone escarpment terroir contributes a mineral freshness that maintains structural tension through a 30-year peak arc exceptional even by First Growth standards. And the Vauthier family's precise, minimalist winemaking allows the limestone terroir's character to express without barrel interference, producing the cerebral mineral subtext that distinguishes Ausone from opulent peers.
How does the Ausone 2018 compare to other recent Ausone vintages?
The 2018 is widely considered among the most accomplished recent Ausone releases, reflecting a vintage that particularly suited the estate's Cabernet Franc-dominant style on the limestone slopes of Saint-Émilion. The 2018 Right Bank vintage's warm, ripe conditions combined with winter moisture reserves produced wines of exceptional phenolic completeness and structural freshness, giving the Ausone a combination of richness and cerebral mineral depth that critics identify among the finest Right Bank expressions of the decade. Earlier vintages such as 2015 and 2016 also showed excellence from this estate, but the 2018 is distinctive for the foundation-shaking finish length and the precision of the blackberry and truffle aromatic complexity that the vintage's optimal growing conditions produced.