Placed on the western edge of 11th century village Saint-Émilion, with elevated vineyards facing south on vertical terraces in ideal situation, Ausone takes its name from Decimus Magnus Ausonius (310-395 CE), a statesman and poet from Bordeaux who owned about 100 acres (0.40 km2) of vineyard, and it is believed by some that Chateau Ausone stands upon the foundations of his villa.

The recent estate can be dated to the 18th century, when it was owned by Jean Cantenat. Later, under the ownership of the Lafargue family, the vineyard was inherited by Edouard Dubois who steered the chateau through the difficulties of the late 19th century, and in 1916 added the adjacent Chateau Belair to their estate. The chateaux were run separately, although both age their wine in the Ausone cellars, caves in the limestone cliffs beneath the town of Saint-Émilion.

After Dubois died in 1921, his widow Heylette Dubois-Challon and Dubois' children of a previous marriage married into the Vauthier family took control over the estate.

Chateau Ausone is a Bordeaux wine from Saint-Emilion appellation, one of only two wines, along with Chateau Cheval Blanc, to be ranked Premier Grand Cru Classe (A) in theClassification of Saint-Emilion wine. The winery is located on the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the Gironde department, close to the town of Saint-Emilion.