Imagine yourself walking up the small pathway leading to the château, nestled into the hillside. In the courtyard, Philippe Baillarguet, cellar master at Château Ausone since 1997, welcomes you and guides you to the entrance of the quarry. In his hand, he holds an antique wrought-iron key, one that unlocks the solid wooden door with the name "Ausone" directly engraved above into the raw limestone, smoothed by the touch of man over centuries. You now stand on the threshold of a journey through time.

The moment you step inside, a unique sensation takes hold. All your senses awaken to the majesty of the quarries: a sudden rush of cool air envelops you, your gaze is drawn into the vastness of the cavernous space, the darkness forces a moment of adaptation from the outside world, and the silence is all-consuming. A feeling of power and serenity emanates from this extraordinary place, where the estate’s wines are aged to perfection.

A return to the stone age

In Saint-Émilion, limestone quarrying dates back to the 12th century, as evidenced by the monolithic church carved entirely from the rock. At Château Ausone, historical archives first reference the estate in 1592, mentioning the "pierrières et casteau Dauzonne" (quarries and castle of Ausone).

The Ausone quarries span over 8,000 square meters of galleries across three levels, all hand-dug and supported by 153 pillars. The smallest of these, covering 1,800 square meters, now houses the winery beneath the chapel.

The unique influence of quarry aging, through the eyes of the cellar master

Philippe Baillarguet is the devoted guardian of this extraordinary environment: "This place, where everything slows down, demands a unique discipline. With constant 100% humidity and a naturally stable temperature between 11 and 15°C, we are provided with ideal conditions but also a continuous challenge. Here, every action is carefully considered because every decision influences the final expression of the wine."

Over the aging of 20 to 22 months, the wines evolve at an unhurried pace within this mineral sanctuary. In this motionless haven, they develop profound depth, an enriched aromatic complexity, and naturally polished tannins. Every movement is meticulously executed, every racking decision is made with the utmost precision to preserve the very essence of Château Ausone’s wines. Absolute precision, infinite patience: this is how our wines are shaped. The stable, humid atmosphere ensures optimal stabilization, which, alongside our exceptional terroir, is one of the key secrets behind Château Ausone’s remarkable aging potential.

"I have learned to know, understand, and listen to the cellar to anticipate its effects on aging. Since 1997, no racking has taken place without me. Some operations require extreme precision, and I cannot imagine relinquishing complete control. Each vintage has its subtleties, and I refuse to overlook even the smallest detail that could make all the difference."

The alchemy between tradition and innovation

While traditional methods reign supreme at Château Ausone, select innovations have been introduced, such as the controlled use of nitrogen during racking, but only when necessary. This technique further refines the wine’s aromatic complexity and preserves the vibrancy of the fruit. Every intervention is meticulously monitored through tasting and analysis, allowing us to continuously refine the precision of our cellar work.

Yet aging does not end with the barrels, it continues in the bottle, where the wine embarks on the next chapter of its journey. "This is a turning point. Once bottled, we no longer have control. Everything depends on the work done beforehand to ensure that each cuvée fully expresses the power and freshness of our terroir."

Tasting a wine aged in the Ausone quarries is to experience the delicate alchemy between the strength of the terroir and the finesse of human craftsmanship. "Each year, blind tastings of older vintages surprise me: the depth, the tension, the remarkable longevity… We shape the wine, but ultimately, it is the magic of Ausone that takes hold."

In this mineral sanctuary, where every stone seems to resonate with the wine it shelters, time stands still. Each vintage, shaped by this unique harmony between nature and human hands, becomes an invitation to dream and to feel.