50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Merlot

Jane Anson: 100, Wine Advocate: 99, Decanter: 99

Jane Anson: Hefty, structured tannins, dark chocolate, espresso and liqourice root. This is powerful, the quality and complexity in full evidence from beginning to end, unrolls in waves and uses its pummice stone and slate-edged structure to climb towards a mouthwatering finish. A wine that I have tasted twice in the past two months, and you feel it is both barely showing its hand, and yet aleady effortless asserting its brilliance. 40hl/ha, 80% new oak.

Wine Advocate: The 2016 Ausone is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it's quite closed at first glance, slowly unfurling to reveal the most incredible perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, warm black plums, Black Forest cake and roasted nuts with suggestions of charcuterie, wood smoke and cedar chest. The medium to full-bodied palate offers a quiet intensity of flavors that grow in the mouth to unveil layer after layer of black and red berries intertwined with beautiful savory notions framed by firm yet velvety tannins, finishing with epic length and amazing energy. It practically tingles on the palate!