Château Simone Rosé 2017
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The Château Simone is one of only a handful of rosé wines that feature in Neil Beckett's book '1001 wines you must try before you die' and for good reason. Anyone who thinks rosé is not a serious wine category needs to try this.
Tasting Notes
The brick-pink Château Simone rosé is made from a base of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan and a smattering of anachronistic local grapes like Manoscan. A relatively long (circa 9 month) cuvaison makes for a fairly full-bodied wine with a wealth of ripe garrigue berry aromas and flavours. It has deep, brick-pink colour and is closer in style to a red than white wine, and will support 3-5 years bottle-age.
Like the Château Simone Blanc, it too is a terrific foil for Mediterranean cuisine that is rich in fish, vegetables, garlic and olive oil.
Like the Château Simone Blanc, it too is a terrific foil for Mediterranean cuisine that is rich in fish, vegetables, garlic and olive oil.
| Style | Rose Wine, Sec, Full-bodied, Non Sparkling |
|---|---|
| Wine Region | Provence, Palette |
| Grape Variety (Cépage) | Carignan, Grenache Noir, Other local varietals, Syrah |
| Viticulture | Non-Organic |
| Vintage | 2017 |
| Cellarage | Merits a few years bottle age before reaching its optimum drinking potential. |
| Vinification | The grapes are harvested at optimum ripeness. One third go through a relatively long process of saignée de cuve (a process whereby a certain amount of free-run juice is run off just crushed, dark-skinned grapes after a short maceration) and two-thirds pressurage directe (direct pressing). They are then transferred (separately from each other) into wooden vats for two years before being blended together in the following Spring and bottled in late June. |
| Alcohol By Volume (%) | 14.5 |
Producer
Château Simone
Château Simone is an ancient ecclesiastical estate overlooking the dramatic backdrop of Mont Saint Victoire to the south-east of Aix en Provence. The main property dates back to the 16th Century and in total comprises 17 of the 22.5 hectares of the appellation of Palette, which the Rougier family have tended for seven generations.
Château Simone benefits from very old vines and an unusual Northerly exposure and micro-climate (induced by the surrounding forests), ensuring late and even ripening that brings balance and finesse to the wines. The charming patron of Château Simone, Jean-Francois Rougier is assured and comfortable in his environment just as he is when he discusses his beloved wine and its idiosyncratic cépagement – 17 grape varieties are permitted in Palette giving it the broadest spectrum of grape varieties of any French appellation.
Winemaking at Château Simone has been honed over the centuries and it transcends fad and fashion, evoking a sense of tradition, confidence, respectability and dependable quality. Winston Churchill visited Château Simone and become an enthusiastic convert to its wine, which puts one in mind of his maxim: “My tastes are simple – I like to have the best.”
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