October 2025 October 2025
01
Château La Clotte:
what does it awaken in you?
There are names that make the tastebuds tingle at their very mention. For lovers of great Bordeaux wines, certain châteaux stand out as beacons on the connoisseur’s journey.
And then there are those one discovers almost by chance, or that one likes to whisper about in confidence. Château La Clotte belongs to this rare circle.
Only four hectares in the heart of Saint-Émilion and a singular intensity that we are committed to preserving. Here, nature asserts its strength and shapes wines worthy of their terroir. This vineyard, nestled against the limestone hillside of Saint-Émilion, is better experienced than described. Édouard takes up the challenge of awakening your senses without revealing everything. For the essential can only be experienced when you come here yourself, into the intimacy of this unique place.
A place steeped in history in Saint-Émilion
The story of the Vauthier family’s involvement with Château La Clotte began in 2014. My father acquired the estate with my sister Pauline by his side. At the time, I was in Asia and Constance was still practicing as a veterinarian. We were not yet directly involved in the management, but we closely followed this decisive moment in the life and spirit of Ausone.
Our father knew the terroirs of Château La Clotte well. Beyond its potential, it was a clear and obvious choice. The deep resemblance and close proximity of this site and Château Ausone convinced him: the same limestone base, the same underground quarries, the same silence beneath the rock. He already planned an underground cellar, to carry on the expertise of the Ausone team.
Those who know the small road tucked beneath the village of Saint-Émilion in the Fongaban valley understand how singular this place is. Here, vines, exposed limestone, gardens and fig trees all intertwine. And then, looking up, you see the house, perched high on the hillside with its neo-Gothic turret gazing into the distance as if watching over the valley. After two sharp bends bordered by a restored dry-stone wall, you reach the entrance to the underground quarry, just beside the house. At once, it becomes clear that everything here unfolds within. This is not a place that reveals itself at a glance. You must enter, let your eyes adjust to the dim light, and listen to the silence. In the carved stone, time slows down. You stop looking and begin to feel.
"We chose to install the vat room and barrel cellar at the very heart of the quarry carved behind the house, a rare configuration in Saint-Émilion, under the supervision of Thierry Lézin, cellar master for the Vauthier estates since 1991."
Winemaking and aging in the quarry
At Château La Clotte, the rock is more than just the land, it is a memory. It bears the marks of a subterranean Saint-Émilion shaped by galleries, quarries and the hands of men.
We chose to install the vat room and barrel cellar at the very heart of the quarry carved behind the house, a rare configuration in Saint-Émilion, under the supervision of Thierry Lézin, cellar master for the Vauthier estates since 1991.
In this underground world, the average temperature remains around 13°C, with constant humidity close to 100%. This natural stability allows us to work without air conditioning (immediately reducing our carbon footprint), to limit evaporation during aging, and to offer the wine a unique way of breathing, one that resonates with its terroir.
The workspace is both functional and precise. Fermentations take place in small stainless-steel tanks. We practice gentle punch-downs with submerged caps and pay special attention to the press wines, which are reintegrated into the final blend. Ageing always continues within the quarry itself, for about 18 months, in new oak barrels.
Tasting
In the glass, Château La Clotte opens with a clean, striking attack. The fruit is vibrant, pure, almost luminous, it fills the palate with a lively, spontaneous energy. Then, gradually, the wine settles in. Mid-palate, it gains breadth and precision, with a silky texture that reflects the care given to every detail. The introduction of young Cabernet Franc vines will further enhance this tactile finesse, while the ever-faithful limestone base lends its aromatic framework and vibrant tension, sustaining the wine’s balance.
"At the top, the asteria limestone provides structure; in the middle, the clay-limestone soils bring finesse and a savory tension on the finish; below, the alluvial deposits of the Fongaban valley offer roundness and fruit."
A complex terroir: 10 plots, 3 soil types, 2 exposures
It is during tasting that one fully perceives the complexity of La Clotte’s terroir, laid out over three terraces. At the top, the asteria limestone provides structure; in the middle, the clay-limestone soils bring finesse and a savory tension on the finish; below, the alluvial deposits of the Fongaban valley offer roundness and fruit.
The water stored in the rock and trickling through this small stream is a precious resource in an era of climate change. This is the spirit of Ausone, combining the excellence of a great terroir with constant self-questioning, where every detail matters.
A place to live
We are now entering the final stage of the project: the renovation of the house to create a venue for hospitality and sharing. As with all restorations of listed buildings, challenges inevitably arise, but our goal remains to inaugurate the site in 2028.
We want this house, perched on the village hillside, to become a welcoming space, a setting for unique tastings overlooking an exceptional panorama. From its windows, all the estates that embody the Ausone spirit can be seen, with the Dordogne River in the distance. Could there be a better place to enjoy our wines? Everything comes together at Château La Clotte.
"From its windows, all the estates that embody the Ausone spirit can be seen, with the Dordogne River in the distance. Could there be a better place to enjoy our wines? Everything comes together at Château La Clotte."
What we are building here is a long-term vision: of wine, stone, and transmission. Nothing is done just for show. Constance and I have no wish to leave a personal mark. Our hope is that in sixty or eighty years, people will speak of the quality of the vintages produced, that future generations will inherit a healthy environment, and that the story will continue, quietly, within the limestone rock.
02
Tasting from another era
A vertical journey in New York
There are evenings when time seems to stand still. The one we experienced in New York, centered on old vintages of Château Ausone and Chapelle d’Ausone, was undeniably one of them.
Sharing tasting moments lies at the very heart of our profession. It brings us back to the essence of what matters most: the emotion of terroirs, the personality of vintages, the transmission of know-how. When one of our partners who specializes in old vintages suggested hosting a dinner for a small group of discerning wine lovers, we immediately accepted. Because such moments, far from the vineyards and cellars, are precious. They allow us to take a step back, to meet, to share, and above all, to feel.
Vertical tastings are a journey through time. They offer a snapshot of an estate’s evolution, a thread connecting generations. There’s a special kind of emotion in tasting a wine crafted long before our time, because it opens a window into the timeless. This thought guides our daily choices with Constance: to pass on, and to be worthy of the legacy we are fortunate to hold today.
The setting was worthy of the occasion: a private room at Gabriel Kreuther, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Manhattan. Around the table, fifteen guests from diverse backgrounds and generations, all united by one shared passion: great wines. The atmosphere was instantly set: conviviality, passion, discovery. Maxime and Bruno, the evening’s maestros, gave the tone: “Here, you’re at home.”
"Around the table, fifteen guests from diverse backgrounds and generations, all united by one shared passion: great wines. The atmosphere was instantly set: conviviality, passion, discovery."
We began with the most recent vintage, Chapelle d’Ausone 2011. Described as a classic and an early ripening year for the appellation: notes of wild strawberry, truffle, and a touch of licorice. The soft tannins and fine minerality sharpened the palate.
The introduction was perfect, followed by ten vintages spanning eight decades.
Château Ausone 2012 opened the flight with precision and balance, an abundant yet delicate vintage. Then came 2005, a magnificent expression of ripe Cabernet Franc and Merlot, in perfect harmony. Everything was in its place: refined tannins, masterful balance, and a finish that seemed to echo in the room’s walls.
Barely recovered from that wave of emotion, we moved on to Château Ausone 2000, a mythical vintage. After two hours of decanting, the wine revealed its balance at full maturity: ample, poised, neither too powerful nor too soft. The ripe fruit melted into a velvety texture. This was a wine that didn’t need to impress, it simply was, naturally commanding attention as conversations deepened.
Château Ausone 1995 brought some breathing space, a fresher vintage, marking the start of production for Chapelle d’Ausone. Then came 1985, splendid in its tertiary harmony: truffle, tobacco, prune, gracefully aged, without excess, the noble patina of a masterpiece. Château Ausone 1978 followed in that same aromatic lineage, true to the style of its era: a late harvest that year, with Château Simard finishing after All Saints’ Day.
Then came Château Ausone 1961, a small-yield, great-quality vintage. Served blind, playfully, and what an experience! Most guests guessed 1982… The battle of legends began. The softness of the Cabernet mingled with subtle spices, its complexity unfolding with gentle grace.
"Then came 1961, a small-yield, great-quality vintage. Served blind, playfully, and what an experience! Most guests guessed 1982… The battle of legends began."
We thought we had reached the summit until the Château Ausone 1947 arrived. It was my first time tasting this post-war vintage, and the moment carried a palpable emotion felt by the the entire table. A hot, dry year of low yields but extraordinary quality, it made history: natural alcohol levels reached 14%, unheard of at the time, almost commonplace today. In the glass, there was eternal youth: luminous ecstasy: silky tannins, fine sweetness, exotic white fruits, apricot, and kirsch. All of it soft yet intense, lingering. An unforgettable emotion.
Finally, the Château Ausone 1937 closed the dinner with modest grace offering the fragile beauty of light tannins and a delicate bitterness.
How does one conclude such a moment? What remains after tasting, in a single glass, a fragment of your family history? You simply return to the vineyard, to the cellar, to the team with a renewed conviction of what you wish to breathe into the wines you shape today for the generations to come.
A heartfelt thank you to the Gabriel Kreuther restaurant for their warm welcome and the remarkable quality of their cuisine, which elevated this timeless experience.
