Ausone St-Émilion 2005

100 points Robert Parker: "The 2005 Ausone is a perfect wine of the vintage. It displays crushed rock, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity and richness, and perfect harmony among all of its component parts (acidity, tannin, wood, alcohol and extract). Still youthful, but oh, so promising, this wine should be set aside for another decade and drunk over the following 50-75 years. (Jun 2015)"

100 points Wine Spectator: "I love the tobacco, berry, cigar box, toasty oak, ripe fruit and fresh mushroom flavors in this full-bodied red, which has ultralayered tannins and vanilla, new oak and berry character. Powerful and superconcentrated, with great length. This is a muscular, full-throttle wine, racing very, very fast. Best after 2019. 1,330 cases made. (3/31/08)"

100 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2005 Ausone is magnificent. A wine of soaring intensity and class, the 2005 dazzles from the very first taste. The aromatics alone are captivating, with notes of cinnamon, mint, crushed rocks, blood orange, mocha and incense. Graceful and stately in bearing, the 2005 boasts tremendous purity and breathtaking balance. Readers will find a stunning Saint-Émilion that is just at the beginning of what promises to be a very long drinking window that will be measured in decades. It is a towering achievement from the Vauthier family. Drink: 2022-2055. (Apr 2021)"

100 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "The 2005 Ausone is a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it needs a lot of swirling to coax out the most evocative perfume of Morello cherries, raspberry preserves, redcurrant jelly, and red roses with hints of aniseed, forest floor, truffles, and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, it has a very firm, grainy texture and an incredibly lively backbone. So, so beautifully perfumed, it finishes incredibly long and mineral-laced. This undoubtedly already offers a WOW experience, but I would give it another 5-7 years in bottle to truly let that perfume emerge, then drink it over the following 40-50-years+. Located on the limestone plateau over the town of Saint Emilion, it covers only 17 acres and has been owned exclusively by the Vauthiers (Alain) since the mid-1990s. It is usually composed of 50-60% Cabernet Franc with Merlot making up the rest of the blend. Alcohol 14%. Drink: 2027-2077. (7/20/22)"

100 points (20/20) La Revue du Vin de France: "The 2005 is on the verge of perfection, so much so that the wine possesses an extraordinary depth and refinement: a bottle of anthology. (2008)"

19.5/20 points Stephen Brook (The World of Fine Wine): "Opaque red. There's great intensity on the nose and a good deal of oak, but it also has admirable purity. There's a hint of red fruits on the nose, probably from the Cabernet Franc. Suave and luxurious, with gorgeous depth of fruit, as well as ample spice and pepper. There seems to be a touch of alcohol on the finish that I don't recall from previous encounters, but there is so much fruit that it doesn't spoil the balance. The lasting impression is of extreme sensuousness, intensity of flavor, and great finesse. It really lives up to its awesome reputation. (Issue #26; 2009)"

19.5/20 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "This has a beautiful nose, the Cabernet Franc showing through very plainly with the characteristic pencil lead and violet perfume of this variety, even now with ten years behind it. Then there are darker fruits coming to the fore as well though. The palate is very impressive, with broad texture, lots of dark, spicy, floral-fruit character, and also a real depth of tannins underpinning it all. This is hugely impressive, with a great depth of fruit but also a very firm straitjacket of structure holding it all in. Brilliant, poised, stunning and full of grip. So impressive. (Jan 2015)"