Ausone 1999

Is the 1999 Ausone the wine of the vintage? Dense purple color, a compelling bouquet of licorice, minerals, black and blueberry liqueur, extraordinary delineation, high tannin, superb extract, and phenomenal richness all are the stuff of legend. It seems impossible that this wine emerged from a vintage like 1999. Proprietor Alain Vauthier produced only 20,000 bottles because he eliminated one-fourth of the tiny crop. The result is out-and-out fabulous, but the wine needs 10-12 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050. Last tasted, 12/02.

Dark crimson. A little raisiny on the nose. Chewy tannins. Very dramatic but not as beautifully balanced as the Cheval tasted immediately before it. Sweet, rather alcoholic finish.Drink 2011-2028.Date tasted 25th June 09.

Is the 1999 Ausone the wine of the vintage? Dense purple color, a compelling bouquet of licorice, minerals, black and blueberry liqueur, extraordinary delineation, high tannin, superb extract, and phenomenal richness all are the stuff of a legend. This wine seems impossible to have emerged from a vintage like 1999. Proprietor Alain Vauthier produced only 20,000 bottles because he eliminated one-fourth of the tiny crop. The result is out-and-out fabulous, but the wine needs 12-15 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050.

Readers should not hesitate to check out Ausone's new second wine, Chapelle d'Ausone. It reveals Ausone's minerality, finesse, and quality presented in a lower-keyed, more open-knit style.The 1999 is nearly spectacular. Whether it will ultimately have immortal aging potential remains to be seen. It boasts gorgeous aromas of black fruits, flowers, smoke, licorice, and subtle wood. Fabulously concentrated, with sensational persistence on the palate, sweet tannin, and admirable balance as well as stature, this is a medium-bodied wine of exceptional pedigree and aging potential. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2040. As I wrote last year, this will undoubtedly be the longest lived wine of the vintage.