Château Ausone 2014 is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru from Bordeaux built on perfume and precision rather than sheer power, with Cabernet Franc leading a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot. Medium-bodied and finely drawn, the 2014 Ausone shows the fresh, cool-fruited style that the vintage's late Indian summer delivered on the Right Bank.

The nose is red-fruited and lifted — kirsch, redcurrant and raspberry pastille — with dried herbs, clove and a chalky, stony edge underneath. Air brings a floral, almost Burgundian lift and a faint smoky note.

On the palate the wine is svelte rather than broad, with fine-grained, pliant tannins and a bright acid line running the length of it. Twenty months in barrel, 85% of it new, has been absorbed into the fruit rather than sitting on top, and the finish is long, savoury and unusually fresh, closing on citrus peel and crushed limestone.

Serve with roast squab or duck breast, veal with morels, rare beef fillet, or a plate of mature Comté. Decant an hour ahead — this is a wine that opens slowly and rewards patience at the table.

Drinking beautifully now for those who like the aromatic, mid-weight side of Saint-Émilion, and with the structure and freshness to keep developing through to 2045 and beyond.