Chapelle d'Ausone 2017

Very minerally with lots of salt and white-pepper character that complements pure and dark fruits. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a linear finish.

A blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Chapelle d'Ausone opens with slightly reticent notes of crushed black berries, cassis and tilled soil with sparks of black raspberries, red roses and cedar chest plus wafts of iron ore and crushed stones. The palate is medium to full-bodied and rich, densely packed with firm, very fine-grained tannins, vibrant fruit and a very long, mineral-laced finish. Impressive!

The 2017 Chapelle d’Ausone was cropped at 35hl/ha, picked between 23 September and 2 October. It is matured in 100% new oak for 20 months. At the moment, the oak is dominating the aromatics although with aeration one catches glimpses of black cherry, crushed strawberry fruit, plus a hint of vanilla extract. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth tannin, crisp black fruit with a light saline influence, moderate in length but perhaps just missing a little depth towards the finish. Otherwise this is a very competent deuxième vin.

The 2017 Chapelle d'Ausone is a very serious second wine. Dark, powerful and concentrated, with a surprising amount of tannin and overall structure, the 2017 is impressive. Unless it softens considerably during aging, the 2017 is likely going to require a number of years to be at its best given its formidable structure. Even so, there is tremendous purity to the fruit and certainly much to look forward to.