Product Description
A CHERISHED CUVEE FROM HISTORIC CHATEAU SIMONE
“Calling all Wine Geeks: we have received this new release from Château Simone! In my opinion, this is the finest wine made in Provence, which never disappoints and only improves with age. Simply put, I just love this wine! Supplies won’t last for long!” – Jim Knight, The Wine House
“A leaner, purer, more direct nose than the 2014. More firmly mineral yet also slightly more resinous, with a greater impression of concentration. The classic pine resin note is present, but the wine doesn’t yet show petrol-it’s more straightforwardly mineral-driven at this point. 40 hl/ha yield.” – Clark Boehling, Rosenthal Wine Merchant (Importer), January 2017
Technical Details
Vineyard: North-facing slopes, limestone scree soil, 50+ year old vines (some plots are more than one hundred years old).
Varieties: 80% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc, 6% Ugni Blanc, 2% Bourboulenc, 2% Muscat blanc.
Harvest: Harvested exclusively by hand when grapes are fully mature, then sorted.
Vinification: Light crushing. Straining and pressing on a vertical hydraulic press.
Pomace reworked manually and light settling. Fermentation with native yeasts.
Aging: Small oak casks for 18 month, 6 months on fine lees. Matured in barrel for one year before bottling.
ABOUT CHATEAU SIMONE (IMPORTER’S NOTES)
This historic estate, situated in the hills just south of Aix-en-Provence, has been in the hands of the Rougier family for two centuries and holds a virtual monopoly on the appellation of Palette. I have admired the wines of Château Simone and have followed the evolution of this domaine over the years. Now, twenty-seven years after my initial introduction to the Rougiers, we have been asked to marry our work to theirs. It is our privilege to do so.
Château Simone encompasses twenty hectares of vineyards that sit on limestone soils at elevations between 500 and 750 feet above sea level on the slopes of Montaiguet. The special microclimate of this appellation is influenced by the encircling pine forests, the mass of Mont Sainte-Victoire, and the Arc River. The vineyards were reconstituted after the invasion of phylloxera and many vines are over a century old. The Rougiers maintain the particular vinification methods developed and cherished over many decades. For those of you who are not familiar with these wines, whether rouge, blanc or rosé, we believe you will find them to be compelling and unique. All of the grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, lightly pressed and fermented for 15 to 20 days in small wooden vats with only wild yeast, then put into small foudre to rest on the lees. The white is predominantly Clairette, with small amounts of Grenache Blanc and Ugni Blanc, and a dash of Bourboulenc, Muscat Blanc, Picpoul, Furmint and Sémillon. Fermentation takes place at a relatively warm 68 degrees and aged for one year in 20–30 hl casks then one year in used barrel.
The red from Simone is an elegant yet well-constituted wine of great depth. It is primarily composed of Grenache and Mourvèdre but its special character reflects the presence of a mélange other grape varieties, albeit in small proportion, including Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castet, Manosquin, Théoulier, Tibouren, Picpoul Noir and Muscat de Hambourg. (The rosé is the exact same blend) Bottled after 18–24 months of aging in foudres and one year or more in aged barrique, it is assembled without filtration. The wine is a classic that deserves to be aged in order to best appreciate its many nuances: plum, pine resin, cinnamon, truffle and spice among other sensations. We invite you to share our pleasure.