Chapelle d'Ausone 2011

An impressive Chapelle, very much in the Ausone style—full‑bodied, substantial, and with complex aromatics.

Blending 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine opens with crushed stone, smoke, floral notes and cherries. Supple and sweet, the wine feels like polished black cherry. This is definitely the best second wine in Bordeaux today. 90-92 pts

Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with lilac glints on the rim. Beautifully spiced bouquet; the 10% Cabernet Sauvignon comes through as Sichuan peppercorns seasoning the blueberry fruit. Noble yet racy body, with lingonberries and red currants, turning increasingly blueberry toward the finish. In great vintages, this Chapelle is always very close to Ausone; this year, nature sets the difference.

Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with lilac hues at the rim. Beautifully spiced bouquet; you can sense the 10% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend as Sichuan peppercorns, complementing the blueberry fruit, half floral, half fruit. Noble yet racy body, lingonberries and red currants, turning increasingly blueberry-driven toward the finish. In great vintages, this Chapell is always very close to Ausone. This year, nature sets the difference.

(60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29 hl/ha) Delicate, silky, elegant bouquet, raspberries, strawberries, mint, vanilla, tobacco. Silky, nicely dry, medium-bodied palate with sweet fruit, slender structure, fine tannins, delicate acidity, refined finish. 17/20 2017 - 2030

Straight, deep and refined, a grand style with just the right tension, very fine brightness.

A Chapelle full of elegance, well-structured, with lovely freshness on the finish.

Logo on the cork: A in a circle (Amorim) Dark, intense color with slight evolution. Very aromatic, complex nose with ripe fruit. Spicier, more southern nuances when the glass is swirled. Supple on the attack, juicy mid-palate, complex; the wine unfolds with density and depth, packed with flavor. It lingers for a long time—very good. Unprecedented richness for the vintage.

Wonderful aromas of dried berry and light black truffle. Full body, intense tannins and a long, flavorful finish. This shows backbone and depth. A blend of 60% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Second wine of Ausone. Try in 2020.

This complex wine has rich tannins and layers of new wood atop dark black berries. At the same time, it is rounding out well, offering spice, sweet acidity and a terse freshness that is infectious. It's a very fruity wine for the medium term. Drink from 2017.

An example of terroir taking precedence over vintage, as this La Chapelle soars out of the glass even in the under-estimated 2011 vintage. Layered and fragrant, ready to go, surprisingly concentrated still at 14 years old, pomegranate and red cherry fruits against tobacco leaf and white tea.