Château Simone Palette Red Rhone Blend 2010

Chateau Simone, located right outside Aix-en-Provence, is one of the most historic and legendary producers youand#39;ll encounter in France. This is a wonderful source of classic, age-worthy wines of all colors. Vines have been planted in the area for as long as records have existed and the Rougier family have run this property since the 1830and#39;s.andnbsp; The red is largely based on Grenache and Mourvedreandnbsp;but is spiced up with Cinsaultandnbsp;andamp;andnbsp;Syrah as well as the rare indigenous varieties Castet, Manosquin,andnbsp;Thandeacute;oulier, Tibouren, and Picpoul Noir, among others. The grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in concrete before being aged one year in foudre, another in smaller barrels and a final year in bottle.andnbsp; Simoneand#39;s long-time importer likens their rouge to aandnbsp;andquot;hypothetical blend of great Cote-de-Nuits red Burgundy (think Chambolle or Morey) and old-guard Bandol.andquot; It has mineral drive, persistence and layers of complexity, and because of the cooler micro-climate of this privilegedandnbsp;terroir, itandnbsp;always maintains a notable freshness for a red from the south.andnbsp;Itand#39;s a wine you can enjoy in its youth because of its exceptional purity and balance but will age as gracefully as any of the most blue chip wines from the country.

Save