Chateau Simone 2019 Palette Blanc

Mostly Clairette w/ Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc, & Muscat

Provence, France

The first and perhaps most shocking feature of the Rougier family’s vines is that they are north-facing. Simone’s vines cling to a 750-foot limestone face that is angled 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 (in the northern hemisphere) I’ve ever seen that produces world-class wine. 

Château Simone’s grapes are harvested by hand, de-stemmed, and lightly pressed before a spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats without temperature control. Due to the frigidness of their subterranean cellar, malolactic fermentation is naturally blocked. After six months of maturation in old casks, the wine is removed from its lees and continues aging for one year.  This is then followed by an additional year in mostly neutral oak barrels before bottling. All told, the process takes more than three years before release into the US market!

At first, it’s quite reserved, showing hints of oxidized yellow apple, lemon verbena, resin, and salt-preserved lemon with smoky richness and waxy green fruits on the palate. On day two, its Burgundian side was out in full force, showing leesy, toasty orchard fruits and citrus on a powerful backbone of crushed limestone.