Les Grands Carmes de Simone 2011

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

This is the most famous château in the Palette appellation, where the Rougier family has been crafting its distinctive style for nearly two centuries. The 25 hectares of vineyards are situated at an altitude of about 200 meters, on a north-facing slope that shields them from the intense sun and the mistral wind. But the estate’s true treasure is undoubtedly its many very old vines, meticulously tended through sustainable viticulture, for which official organic certification has been pending since 2018. The wine, aged in vaulted cellars carved into the rock by the Grand Carmelite monks of Aix in the 16th century, is often underestimated in its youth. After a few years of aging, all the vintages—including the rosés—reveal admirable complexity and depth. It is therefore best to keep the bottles in the cellar for a while, even if the impatient may not agree.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

From the heights of Château Simone’s hillsides, a scene straight out of a Cézanne painting unfolds: one can admire the century-old vines clinging to the Langesse limestone, opening up to the north toward Mont Sainte-Victoire. “La Simone,” as the Rougier family likes to call it, is undoubtedly the most famous wine among connoisseurs of fine Mediterranean white wines. It is true that René and Jean-François Rougier craft this white wine without relying on technical tricks, resulting in a wine of incredible character, balance, and richness. One of the secrets lies in the slow pressing and twenty months of aging in large oak casks, followed by barrel aging. It is also the result of an 8-hectare plot planted with several grape varieties, primarily Clairette (with 2% Muscat that makes all the difference!), harvested and vinified as a blend. The rosé, Simone’s other standout, always appears vibrant in color, with intense fruitiness. Its palate, highly concentrated, shows aging potential. The red now rivals certain great wines from the southern Rhône Valley. The Grenache and Mourvèdre give it a character defined by a level of maturity and a more developed mid-palate than in previous vintages.