Château Ausone 2018 | Cabernet Franc, Limestone and the Tension of Saint-Émilion

2026.10.24

Cabernet Franc rooted in limestone: the mineral tension of Ausone, wrapped in the depth of the 2018 vintage.

Château Ausone 2018 comes from a tiny vineyard on the limestone plateau and steep southern slopes of Saint-Émilion, and remains one of the most distinctive wines of Bordeaux’s Right Bank.

The 2018 blend is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot. Dense black and blue fruit, floral perfume, graphite and crushed-stone minerality are held together by exceptionally fine tannins and remarkable length.

Around seven hectares on the limestone hill of Saint-Émilion

Ausone sits just south of the medieval village of Saint-Émilion, with approximately seven hectares of vines arranged across small terraces on a rocky hillside.

The parcels face east to south-east and are naturally sheltered by stone.

Part of the vineyard rests directly on asteria limestone, while the slopes combine limestone with clay. The clay retains moisture during dry periods, while the limestone contributes the tension and mineral character for which Ausone is renowned.

The Vauthier family since 1690

The Vauthier family has cared for Ausone since 1690.

Today, Alain Vauthier and his daughter Pauline are central to the estate’s winemaking.

The vines average around fifty years of age, with some parcels containing vines more than a century old.

Cabernet Franc forms the backbone of the vineyard, supported by Merlot — a combination that is especially well suited to Ausone’s limestone terroir.

60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot

The 2018 Grand Vin is composed of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot.

Cabernet Franc provides mineral structure, perfume and linear energy, while Merlot contributes rounded fruit and a more supple texture.

The château itself describes Ausone as beginning with the powerful, mineral profile of Cabernet Franc before the rounder, purer fruit of Merlot emerges.

Harvested from late September into October

In 2018, Merlot was harvested on 25 and 27 September, while Cabernet Franc was picked on 3, 8 and 9 October.

Allowing Cabernet Franc to remain on the vine into October helped build aromatic complexity and tannin maturity.

Although 2018 was warm and dry, Ausone’s clay-limestone soils helped preserve balance, combining concentration with freshness.

20 months in 100% new French oak

The 2018 was matured for approximately 20 months in 100% new French oak.

That figure may sound imposing, but the density of fruit and mineral structure is sufficient to absorb the oak.

Cedar, cacao and spice can be evident in youth, before integrating into fruit and limestone character as the wine develops in bottle.

Black cherry, blueberry, rose and crushed stone

The aromatic profile of the 2018 includes black cherry, blueberry and plum.

These are layered with violet, rose, lavender, liquorice, graphite, iron, crushed stone, truffle and spice.

The scale of the fruit is substantial, yet the defining core remains Cabernet Franc perfume and the stony character of Ausone’s limestone soils.

Concentration defined by energy and persistence

The 2018 is an intensely concentrated wine, but critical assessments repeatedly focus on energy, tension, precision and persistence rather than weight alone.

The tannins are abundant yet exceptionally fine, while freshness gives shape to the dense fruit.

It can appear reserved in youth, gradually revealing layers of fruit, flowers, earth, stone and spice with time.

100 points from Wine Advocate and Decanter

Château Ausone 2018 received extraordinary critical acclaim.

It earned 100 points from Wine Advocate and 100 points from Decanter, alongside 99-point ratings from James Suckling and Jeb Dunnuck.

The recurring themes were not merely richness, but the clarity of Cabernet Franc, limestone minerality, refined tannins and an exceptionally long finish.

Premier Grand Cru Classé A — for the 2018 vintage

When the 2018 vintage was produced, Château Ausone was classified Premier Grand Cru Classé A under the 2012 Saint-Émilion classification.

Saint-Émilion’s classification is periodically revised.

Ausone chose not to enter the 2022 classification, so wines from the 2022 vintage onward no longer carry the Premier Grand Cru Classé A designation.

For 2018, however, the historically accurate description remains Premier Grand Cru Classé A under the classification then in force.

Ageing beneath the limestone

Beneath the estate lies a network of old limestone quarries, carved over centuries from the same rock that supports the vines above.

Since the eighteenth century, parts of these underground galleries have been used as cellars.

Their stable temperature and humidity provide a natural environment for élevage, making the relationship between stone and wine unusually literal at Ausone.

A wine connected to the year 2018

For a birth, marriage, founding date or another milestone connected to 2018, Château Ausone 2018 can also serve as a commemorative vintage with substantial ageing potential.

Rather than being chosen only for immediate drinking, it is a wine capable of developing for decades.

For more on selecting wines linked to a meaningful year, see our guide to birth-year and anniversary wines.