Chateau d'Aussieres

The grapes for Château d’Aussières are sourced from selected plots on the tops of the hills. The soil is very shallow, consisting of sandstone with very little clay, and water is scarce. As a result, the yields are very low. The blend consists mainly of Syrah and Mourvèdre, with small quantities of Grenache and Carignan. The Mourvèdre vines have been producing grapes of outstanding quality for the past few years, as they reach maturity. Green harvests are carried out and the grapes are strictly selected in order to obtain a wine that combines power and precision.

Winemaker notes

2018: The 2018 vintage has a fine intense colour. The nose reveals a very complex aromatic bouquet of fresh and cooked fruit, undergrowth, garrigue, pepper and fresh vegetal notes. On the palate, there is the same generous expression of fruit, the balance is harmonious and full-bodied, supported by fine tannins which bring a pleasant freshness. The finish is long and rich with notes of jam and chocolate.

2018

Decanter 91: The 2018 vintage wasn’t, in fact, quite as extravagantly warm in Languedoc as it was in other regions; nonetheless there’s no mistaking the solar force in this blend of 76% Syrah with 24% Mourvèdre. It’s still almost saturatedly black-red, with exotic, fleshy aromas of bramble-scented fruits freshened with a little pine. This sturdy, rich, impressively textured Aussières has denser tannins and (I’d guess) more copious extract than its peers; more alcoholic wealth, too. The fruit of two higher-sited, clay-soiled parcels of Syrah help bring freshness, though.

2019

James Suckling 93: Blackcurrants, slate, crushed stone and berries with hints of chocolate. Medium-bodied, bright and racy. Vivid at the end. A blend of syrah, carignan, mourvedre and grenache. Drink now.

Decanter 94: The first, wider release on the Place de Bordeaux for this wine outside of DBR Lafite. Beautiful beguiling fragrance on the nose, smells floral with dried roses and herbs, fragrant, sun-kissed blackberries and cherries and a touch of smoke. Clean and clean, focussed with beautifully delineated tannins and a sense of seriousness to the frame. Crisp, straight and well defined with mouthwatering, juicy acidity balancing the tangy, spiced fruit and layers of minerality. Rich and heady, confident but so harmonious on the palate with a long, clean, crystalline finish. Refined and forward finishing with a black olive and sweet and spiced plum aspect. First year of organic conversion. A blend of 52% Syrah, 19% Mourvedre, 20% Carignan (a little bit with carbonic maceration) and 9% Grenache. 3.66pH. Yield 40hl/ha. Ageing 50% stainless steel, 50% new and one-year-old barrels. Technical manager Olivier Richaud.