2018 Château Ausone Multiple types

Bidder	Amount	Date	Total
	$11,775	Jun 19, 7:00 PM

2018 Château Ausone

RATINGS

100The Wine Advocate

The ripe, rich, black and blue fruit layers eventually give way to the beautifully cerebral earthy/minerally subtext, carried by fantastically well-knit tension, delivering an incredibly long, foundation-shaking finish.

PRODUCER

Château Ausone

Château Ausone is one of the Premier Grand Crus Classe A of St.-Emilion, which means it is considered one of the finest wines of the right bank according to the region’s historic classification system. Legend has it that the estate’s name is derived from the name of the 4th century Roman poet Ausonius, who lived in the area and maintained a vineyard. But the château itself notes that the link may be more fanciful than fact. Nevertheless the estate, which includes a mere 17.3 acres of vineyards, has long enjoyed one of the best locations in all of Bordeaux on a steep southwestern slope a few meters from the medieval town of St.-Emilion. The estate makes a fraction of the wine made by many of its larger neighbors. The estate makes 20,000 to 30,000 bottles annually of its Chateau Ausone Premier Grand Cru, and about 7,000 bottles of its second line, Chapelle d’Ausone. The vineyards are planted in 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 50-55 years.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, St.-Émilion

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), St.-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A

VINTAGE

2018 Château Ausone

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château Cheval-Blanc

RATINGS

98+ The Wine Advocate

The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by super firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to balance, finishing with amazing length and a beautiful array of floral and mineral sparks.

PRODUCER

Château Cheval-Blanc

Château Cheval Blanc is a Premier Grand Cru Classe A of St.-Emilion. Cheval Blanc won medals at prestigious international exhibitions in London and Paris in the mid-19th century and those medals are still depicted on Cheval Blanc bottle labels. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that among the most famous wines of Bordeaux, “Cheval Blanc probably has the broadest window of drinkability. It is usually delicious when first bottled, yet it has the ability in the top years to gain weight and last.” Parker also notes that Cheval Blanc typically includes more Cabernet Franc than other Bordeaux, another possible key to its unique style. Located in St.-Emilion, the château includes 91.4 acres of vineyards planted in 58% Cabernet Franc and 42 % Merlot. The average age of the vines is 45 years. Some 100,000 bottles of Château Cheval Blanc are produced each year. The Managing Director of the estate is Pierre Lurton, a distinguished winemaker and estate director who also is President and CEO of Château d'Yquem.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, St.-Émilion

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), St.-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A

VINTAGE

2018 Château Cheval-Blanc

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château d'Yquem

Light label condition issue

RATINGS

98The Wine Advocate

With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread.

97James Suckling

...with lightly cooked peaches and mangos and an overlay of vanilla and cream with some lemon meringue. Orange peel, too. What is striking is the texture, which is creamy and so fine. The tannins give the wine energy and beauty. The finish is extremely long and impressive.

96Wine Spectator

A beauty from start to finish, with fresh, racy notes of honeysuckle, quinine and mirabelle plum leading off, followed by richer quince, creamed pear and white nectarine flavors. Everything melds through the finish, picking up macadamia nut and brioche accents to complete the seduction.

93Vinous / IWC

The bouquet requires coaxing, certainly less intense than with pretty scents of dried honey, saffron and orange pith, a discrete Germanic tinge just off stage. The palate is understated on the entry.

17+ Jancis Robinson

Blossom and barley sugar on the nose. By no means the sweetest nor the heaviest but the texture is pure cream and the flavour has overlays of green vegetation, cheddar cheese and smoke. This is Yquem! Complexity is all.

PRODUCER

Château d'Yquem

Château d’Yquem was the only wine in the Sauternes/Barsac area to receive a First Growth distinction in the original and still highly influential 1855 Bordeaux classification. The region has been famous for many centuries for its sweet white wines, now considered dessert wines, and Château d’Yquem has always been the undisputed king of Sauternes. The estate also makes a dry white Bordeaux called Ygrec “Y,” which receives excellent reviews despite being far less well known than the famous dessert wine made at the estate. Château d’Yquem sits on a small hill and has an ideal terroir and perfect microclimate. According to local lore the 19th century proprietors of Château d’Yquem were the first French winemakers to recognize the value of so-called “noble rot,” which is a benevolent form of botrytis bunch rot, a fungal attack on the vines and grapes. Château d’Yquem includes 254.2 acres of vineyards planted to 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon. On average the vines are 30 years old and about 110,000 bottles are produced each year. The distinguished winemaker and estate director Pierre Lurton is President and CEO. Lurton is also Managing Director of Cheval-Blanc.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Sauternes

Sauternes makes the world’s most famous dessert wines. Though the appellation lies within the Graves region of Bordeaux’s left bank, the appellation makes only sweet wines from white grapes, primarily Semillon sometimes blended with small amounts of Muscadelle. The five communes within Sauternes are Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Sauternes. Barsac also has its own appellation and, typically, Barsac wines are slightly drier and lighter than other Sauternes. Sauternes are made when weather conditions result in a mold called Botrytis cinerea developing on the grapes, which causes them to become especially sweet. Sauternes are not produced every vintage, so successful vintages become especially collectible. Sauternes estates were classified in 1855, and Château d’Yquem, the appellation’s most prestigious estate, was ranked in a class by itself as a Premier Grand Cru. Château d’Yquem wines are among the most prized wines in the world.

TYPE

Dessert, Proprietary White, Premier Cru Supérieur

VINTAGE

2018 Château d'Yquem

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château Haut-Brion

RATINGS

100The Wine Advocate

...it all comes together into a fascinating crescendo of intense crème de cassis, rose oil, wild blueberries and kirsch notes, giving way to quiet, persistent leitmotif scents of cinnamon stick, truffles and redcurrant jelly.

PRODUCER

Château Haut-Brion

As one of the four original First Growth Bordeaux, Château Haut-Brion enjoys an illustrious history and has long been considered one of the jewels of French winemaking. Founded in the 16th century in Pessac, the founding family’s early winemakers employed such modern techniques as topping up vines and racking casks. The resulting wines were widely admired and were bought as investments as early as the late 1700s. Francophile Thomas Jefferson served Château Haut-Brion at The White House after he became president and the practice was continued by several of his successors. The château cultivates 106.7 acres given over to 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 18% Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines is 36 years and annual production is about 7,800 bottles of Château Haut-Brion and 88,000 bottles of the second line, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, formerly known as Château Bahans Haut-Brion.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Graves

Graves is on the left bank of the Garonne River south of the city of Bordeaux. The appellation takes its name from its soil, which is intensely gravelly thanks to glaciers that melted in the area a few million years ago. Graves is generally thought of as the birthplace of Bordeaux wines, since “claret,” as the English historically called Bordeaux reds, were being produced for export in Graves and shipped to England as early as the 12th century. Some Graves châteaux, including Haut-Brion, trace their history to the late 16th century and Thomas Jefferson was one of several notable wine connoisseurs who wrote admiringly about the wines of Château Haut-Brion. Haut-Brion’s popularity with international celebrities is perhaps why it was the only non-Médoc château to be included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. Graves makes red and white wines. The reds are predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The whites are made of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. The Graves AOC includes nearly 8,000 acres of vineyards. In 1953 a Graves classification was created for red wines, and in 1959 white wines were added.

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), Premier Cru (First Growth)

VINTAGE

2018 Château Haut-Brion

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château La Mission Haut Brion

RATINGS

99The Wine Advocate

The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energy, delivering layers of red and black fruits with earthy and mineral sparks and a texture so satiny you need to remember to look for it, finishing with amazing vibrancy.

PRODUCER

Château La Mission Haut Brion

Château La Mission Haut-Brion, a Classified Red Wine of Graves, has one of the most intriguing histories in Bordeaux. Wine was produced on the estate, located in Talence, in the early 16th century by the de Roustaing family. In 1682 the estate was bequeathed to an order of Catholic friars who not only built an architecturally significant chapel, which is today part of the estate, but who became excellent viticulturalists. In the early 19th century the estate was bought by a native of New Orleans of French descent who wanted to retire in Bordeaux. By the early 20th century the estate’s wines were considered so fine that they sold for more than the wines Châteaux Margaux and Latour. The estate continued to be well-managed, and after several changes in ownership it now belongs to the Dillon family, which also owns Château Haut-Brion. La Mission owns 51.6 acres of vineyards planted to 45% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

Pessac-Léognan was created in 1987 from the northern part of the left bank Graves appellation. Before then it was simply part of Graves, or sometimes it was called Haut-Graves. Unlike many other Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is known for both red and dry white wines, although its reds are more famous. The appellation includes ten communes and the area’s most important châteaux, including Château Haut-Brion, the only non-Médoc estate included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. There are 2,964 acres of vineyards in Pessac-Léognan and 16 classified growth estates. The main red grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, along with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. White grapes grown are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with a little Muscadelle. Pessac-Léognan is considered to have the best terroir of the greater Graves region.

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), Cru Classe de Graves

VINTAGE

2018 Château La Mission Haut Brion

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château Lafite-Rothschild

RATINGS

100The Wine Advocate

...intoxicating scents of blackcurrant cordial, baked plums and black cherry compote with an undercurrent of dark chocolate, licorice, cast-iron pan, cedar chest and fertile loam, plus a waft of pencil lead. The delicately crafted, medium-bodied palate is dripping with class...

PRODUCER

Château Lafite-Rothschild

As one of the original four First Growth Bordeaux estates designated by the historic 1855 Bordeaux classification, Château Lafite-Rothschild wines remain some of the world’s most prestigious. One of the château's earliest and most celebrated fans was King Louis XV, who reportedly preferred to buy Château Lafite-Rothschild wine above all other wines. The winery’s reputation remains intact as one of the world’s leading Bordeaux producers. Located in Pauillac, one of Bordeaux’s four famous left bank communes, Château Lafite-Rothschild began gaining a reputation as a great winemaking estate in the 17th century after the vines were first planted on the estate in the late 1670s by Jacques de Ségur. The history of the château is deeply rooted in French winemaking lineage. Jacques de Ségur’s son Alexandre married the heiress of Château Latour and together they had a son, Nicolas-Alexandre de Ségur, linking the histories of both Lafite and Latour from the beginning of each estate’s founding. In the early 18th century, Bordeaux blends were wildly popular in London (known to British wine drinkers as “French clarets,” coining the term Bordeaux-style red wine blends still used today) with the prime minister Robert Walpole drinking a barrel of Lafite every three months. The château survived many significant periods in French history relatively unscathed and was eventually purchased in 1868 by Baron James de Rothschild. The estate has remained in the hands of the Rothschild family ever since. The term “lafite” is derived from “la hite,” or little hill in one of the regional dialects used in France in the Middle Ages. The domaines Baron de Rothschild also include Château Rieussec, Château L’Evangile, Château Duhart-Milon, and others in France and Argentina. Château Lafite-Rothschild includes 247.1 acres of vineyards planted in 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is 40 years. Annual production is 18,000 to 25,

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Pauillac

Pauillac is Bordeaux’s most famous appellation, thanks to the fact that it is home to three of the region’s fabled first-growth châteaux, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild and Latour. Perched on the left bank of the Gironde River north of the city of Bordeaux, Pauillac is centered around the commune of Pauillac and includes about 3,000 acres of vineyards. The Bordeaux classification of 1855 named 18 classified growths, including the three above mentioned First Growths. Cabernet Sauvignon is the principal grape grown, followed by Merlot. The soil is mostly sandy gravel mixed with marl and iron. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “the textbook Pauillac would tend to have a rich, full-bodied texture, a distinctive bouquet of black currants, licorice and cedary scents, and excellent aging potential.”

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), Premier Cru (First Growth)

VINTAGE

2018 Château Lafite-Rothschild

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château Margaux

Light label condition issue

RATINGS

100The Wine Advocate

The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit, fragrant earth and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid structure of exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless backbone of freshness, finishing with fantastic length.

PRODUCER

Château Margaux

Château Margaux is one of the world’s most famous wine producers, and with good reason. The estate’s history dates to the 12th century, and by the 16th century its owners were rotating vineyards into their grain fields. Its wines were being exported by the early 18th century and they quickly became Bordeaux’s gold standard for quality. Thomas Jefferson, when he was ambassador to France, was especially fond of Château Margaux and noted approvingly that “there cannot be a better bottle of Bordeaux.” As one of the First Growth Chateaux – one of the four recognized as outstanding in France’s historic 1855 Bordeaux classification – Margaux has always been one of the aristocrats of the Medoc. Château Margaux’s 193 acres of vineyards yields an annual average of 200,000 bottles of Château Margaux and 200,000 bottles of Pavillon Rouge Château Margaux, its secondary line. Grape varietals grown at the chateau are 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Margaux

Margaux is one of Bordeaux’s most famous appellations and also one of its largest, with about 3,400 acres of vineyards. Located on the Left Bank of the Gironde River, Margaux has the greatest number of classified-growth châteaux (or crus classé) according to the 1855 classification. There are twenty-one crus classé, including the most famous estate, the first growth Château Margaux. The Margaux appellation includes vineyards around the village of Margaux and the villages of Arsac, Cantenac, d’Issan, Labarde and Soussans. Wines from the best Margaux châteaux and vintages are prized for their perfumey fragrance and elegant, silky mouthfeel. Margaux wines are predominately Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), Premier Cru (First Growth)

VINTAGE

2018 Château Margaux

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Château Mouton Rothschild

RATINGS

99The Wine Advocate

...it straight away pops with bright, vivacious notes of crushed blackcurrants, juicy blackberries and redcurrant jelly with slowly emerging nuances of candied violets, stewed plums, licorice and black tea, plus a waft of dusty red soil.

PRODUCER

Château Mouton Rothschild

Chateau Mouton Rothschild is legendary estate. It was purchased in 1853 by Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild and in 1924 his successors became the first Bordeaux vignerons to introduce estate bottling. Although the chateau was not selected as one of the four First Growth Chateaux in the historic 1855 classification, Mouton Rothschild was elevated from a second growth to first growth in 1973, the only chateau ever to be moved from the second to first classification. The Rothschild talent for marketing and innovation also resulted in the wine industry’s first high-profile label design program. Since 1945 the chateau has each year commissioned a famous artist to design the label. The list of contributors includes Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. In Pauillac Mouton has 205 acres under cultivation, which includes 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. On average the vines are nearly 50 years old. Annual production is 300,000 bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Pauillac

Pauillac is Bordeaux’s most famous appellation, thanks to the fact that it is home to three of the region’s fabled first-growth châteaux, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild and Latour. Perched on the left bank of the Gironde River north of the city of Bordeaux, Pauillac is centered around the commune of Pauillac and includes about 3,000 acres of vineyards. The Bordeaux classification of 1855 named 18 classified growths, including the three above mentioned First Growths. Cabernet Sauvignon is the principal grape grown, followed by Merlot. The soil is mostly sandy gravel mixed with marl and iron. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “the textbook Pauillac would tend to have a rich, full-bodied texture, a distinctive bouquet of black currants, licorice and cedary scents, and excellent aging potential.”

TYPE

Red Wine, Bordeaux Red Blends (Claret), Premier Cru (First Growth)

VINTAGE

2018 Château Mouton Rothschild

1 bottle Per Lot

2018 Petrus

RATINGS

100The Wine Advocate

The full-bodied palate is taut, muscular and oh-so-tightly wound at this stage, revealing peeks at many, many layers of perfectly ripe black and blue fruits, exotic spices and earthy notions for which words simply fail.

PRODUCER

Petrus

Although there is no official classification of the Pomerol, Petrus – located in the Pomerol appellation on the right bank of the Gironde River -- is nevertheless one of the most sought-after wines in the world. Because there is no physical château on the property, the wine is often called simply Petrus. The wine’s fame began in the 1940s, when several Petrus vintages won international acclaim. Since 2010 Petrus has been made nearly entirely of Merlot, though previous vintages included tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc. Owned since 1961 by the Moueix family, the estate’s small size means that very little wine is produced, which adds to the wine’s prestige and mystique. The estate’s vineyard management has also become highly disciplined in the relatively modern practice of vendage verte, the thinning out of young grapes to encourage better ripening in those that remain. Petrus includes 28.4 acres of vineyards. The vines are 35 years old on average an annual production is 25,000 to 30,000 bottles.

REGION

France, Bordeaux, Pomerol

Pomerol is the smallest of Bordeaux’s red wine producing regions, with only about 2,000 acres of vineyards. Located on the east side of the Dordogne River, it is one of the so-called “right bank” appellations and therefore planted primarily to Merlot. Pomerol is unique in Bordeaux in that it is the only district never to have been rated in a classification system. Some historians think Pomerol’s location on the right bank made it unattractive to Bordeaux-based wine traders, who had plenty of wine from Medoc and Graves to export to England and northern Europe. Since ranking estates was essentially a marketing ploy to help brokers sell wine, ranking an area where they did little business held no interest for them. Pomerol didn’t get much attention from the international wine community until the 1960s, when Jean-Pierre Moueix, an entrepreneurial wine merchant, started buying some of Pomerol’s best estates and exporting the wines. Today the influential Moueix family owns Pomerol’s most famous estate, Château Pétrus, along with numerous other Pomerol estates. Pomerol wines, primarily Merlot blended with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, are considered softer and less tannic than left bank Bordeaux.

TYPE

Red Wine, Merlot

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.

2018 Duclot Case Collection

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