1997 Chateau Ausone, Saint-Emilion, Bottle (750ml)

1997 Ausone - Wine Advocate # 116 - Apr 1998: I tasted this wine when I was in Bordeaux last November and was extremely impressed at that time. Now that it has had another four months of evolution, it is clearly one of the vintage's superstars. The color is a healthy dark purple, and the wine offers up celestial aromas of black fruits, licorice, minerals, and roasted Cote Rotie-like nuances. The wine's fascinating aromatics are matched by its exhilarating flavors. While not a powerhouse, and without the intensity, extraction, and richness of the 1996 and 1995, the 1997 is surreal in its display of complex aromas matched with intense but not heavy flavors. This medium-bodied wine reveals superb ripeness and glorious balance. It is a textbook example of how a wine can have remarkable flavor intensity and length, without being tiring to drink. This Ausone is forward, particularly for a wine from this estate, yet it is capable of lasting for more than two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020.
Chateau Ausone, Premier Grand Cru Classe A, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru