Château Simone is, has been, and will continue to be one of the most enchanting experiences in the world of wine: They’ve been called the “Pétrus of Provence,” and are consistently touted as a Grand Cru
château. This centuries-old estate combines ancient vines (60-130 years old), sorcerous blending skills, and a 500-year-old
hand-carved cellar to craft today’s flagship Palette Rouge, which captures some of the most alluring qualities of elite Bordeaux and Burgundy alike.
And yet, outside of astute collectors and professionals, the majority of the world still hasn’t heard of them. How this remains possible is beyond me. Simone’s ability to simultaneously be among the most iconic yet vastly underrated producers on earth is a magician’s act all its own, but they somehow manage to do it, all while changing nothing: Be it farming, winemaking, or production, a bottle of today’s 2014 versus a bottle of their, say, 1964 was made exactly the same. To have a bottle of Simone’s Palette Rouge is to have had one of the finest, most unique experiences wine can offer. Because of our steadfast loyalty to them over the years, today’s 2014—their current release, and one of the most ‘Burgundian’ expressions I’ve had from them—is coming to us for a song. At this price, the only thing you can’t afford is an excuse. These wines are region-defining, incomparable in taste, and their cellar life is nearly inexhaustible. We’re incredibly proud to showcase this age-worthy collectible.
Owned by the Rougier family since 1830, the property clings to a single hillside in Montaiguet, a small hamlet just east of Aix-en-Provence, 20 miles north of Marseille. The appellation that encompasses this village is Palette AOC, and even as a small independent producer, Château Simone produces a majority of the wine labeled within the designation. To the naked eye, Château Simone appears to be a classic family-run estate, but it’s impossible to begin discussing the property without immediately diving into the myriad qualities that make this one of the most distinctive estates in France.
The first and perhaps most shocking feature about the Rougier family’s vines is that they are north—yes, north—facing. Château Simone’s vines hug a 750 foot limestone face that is angled directly away from the sun. This is unusual, but it allows the vines to retain their freshness, despite the region’s fierce heat. It is one of the very few north-facing vineyards I’ve ever seen that produces world-class wine. Next, there is a shocking diversity of grape varieties present in these ancient vines. Château Simone sits directly between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Bandol, so it’s unsurprising to see standards like Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah and Carignan—but if you look a little closer in the vineyard, you will discover Cabernet Sauvignon, Manosquin, Castet, Muscat Noir, Théoulier, Tibouren, Picpoul Noir, Muscat de Hambourg, and many others. Finally, the character of Château Simone’s wines is perhaps what is most unique for sommeliers and collectors. Despite Provence’s long and sometimes punishingly hot growing season, Château Simone does not produce heavy or overpowering wines. On the contrary, the Rougier family is renowned for bottling beautifully elegant, floral, and aromatic reds that caress and finesse the palate rather than hammer it with alcohol and extract. This is a Provençal Grand Cru for lovers of traditional Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Piedmont!
Château Simone’s colorful palette of grapes are harvested by hand, de-stemmed, and lightly pressed before fermentation. Indigenous yeast fermentation lasts for several weeks in wooden vats. Afterward, the wine is racked into large oak foudres to rest on lees (spent yeasts and solids left over after fermentation). After one year, the wine is decanted once more into older barriques, where it rests for an additional year before being bottled. The freshly bottled wine then matures for another year before leaving their cellar. All told, the entire process takes nearly four years before release into the US market! In our experience with Château Simone, the wines often require even more time in bottle before fully exhibiting the singular qualities that made them iconic.
That said, if you were ever to drink a vintage in its youth, today’s 2014 would be the ideal candidate. Simone extracts detail, elegance, and complexity with every release, but their 2014 seems to be entirely focused on finesse. That’s partly in thanks to the cool vintage, but equally important are their ancient vines (which predate a handful of US states) and incredibly patient upbringing in the cellar. In the glass, the wine’s aromas don’t blast out—they waft, with poise and breathtaking seduction. Dark, brambly fruit infused with violets, lavender, and herbs fill the senses before a wave of smoked meat, horse saddle, black tea, blackcurrant, red plums, and cherries come into play. Simone is a uniquely enjoyable wine to drink because it’s a wine that morphs and evolves in many directions over the course of 24 hours. When the cork is first pulled, it can be tightly coiled, with aromas reminiscent of Barbaresco or Barolo. Eventually, as air begins to soften the fruit, it finds a cruising altitude somewhere between Côte de Nuits elegance and Right Bank Bordeaux muscle, but this ‘14 focuses heavily on the former. If sharing with friends (please do, so the world can get acquainted with this iconic producer), decant for at least 60 minutes and serve in large Burgundy stems around 60 degrees. Above all, never forget the aging potential of these refined beauties—if you still have one 10-15 years from now, you’ll forever thank yourself. Cheers!
