Professional reviews
Robert Parker (91)
90-91
Due to poor flowering in the estate's Merlot holdings, the 2024 Chapelle d'Ausone is all-Cabernet this year. Offering up notes of sweet dark berries, mint, rose petals and spices, it's nicely integrated, with a medium-bodied, supple palate underpinned by a tangy spine of acidity.
James Suckling (94)
93-94
This is unique for the second wine of Ausone with no merlot this year. Medium-bodied, it builds on the palate, showing a volcanic-salt undertone and white-pepper character. Lightly chewy with some red tile. Spicy. A blend of 85% cabernet franc and 15% cabernet sauvignon.
Jancis Robinson (16)
Crimson with a lighter rim. Not a drop of Merlot. Floral and dark-fruit notes. Structured with fine tannins but a rather cutting acidity as well. A bit wayward. Could improve if the mid palate fills out.
Vinous (92)
90-92
The 2024 Chapelle d’Ausone is a very pretty second wine. Floral aromatics, bright red-toned fruit and refined tannins convey an impression of finesse in a mid-weight, nuanced Chapelle. In 2024, Chapelle is 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, as all the Merlot went into the Grand Vin (as was the case in 2021). Today, the 2024 is a bit quiet. I won't be at all surprised it is even better from bottle.
Jeb Dunnuck (93)
91-93
A unique blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2024 Chapelle D'Ausone has a pure, medium-bodied, wonderfully focused, lengthy style that builds nicely with time in the glass. Redcurrants, framboise, sappy spring flowers, and obvious minerality all define the aromatics, and it has nicely integrated acidity, some classy oak, and a great finish.
Decanter (93)
Lovely fragrance on the nose, so aromatic and expressive. Deep and nuanced with bright red berries, some blackcurrant leaf and violet touches. Structured and forward, this is lovely, a firm texture with hints of both chalkiness and fleshiness. Cool and fresh straight away with juiciness but really the stars here are the structure and gentle power pushing the wine forward. A different style but still just as juicy as the others. A little compact still but no doubt this will be a fine wine with delicious mineral undercurrents and some wet stones touches on the finish. Smart and sophisticated. A yield of 33hl/ha. 20% second wine. 3.5pH. Ageing 100% new oak. No Merlot in the blend this year.
Falstaff (92)
Dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle edge brightening. Delicately floral red forest berry fruit, mandarin zest, a hint of currant. Slender, fine minerality, red cherry on the finish, a delicate, smooth style, already easy to drink.
