After more than a decade of drinking Simone's Blanc, we're more and more convinced that it's one of France's most important white wines.
Vintages like 2013 dramatically underscore how aristocratic and complex the wine can be.
Château Simone's 2013 is very much in the same vein as 2008 and 2010, our two favorite vintages of the past ten years.
It's in these vintages where Château Simone's Blanc gains an ultra-fine verve and show stopping elegance that makes it world-class.
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The Blanc is a wine that confounds expectations. It comes from Palette, a tiny appellation in the heart of sun-soaked Provence. This is not the area that you'd expect to find a white wine of effortless grace and seamlessness. But that's what the Rougier family of Château Simone has done for over two centuries.
Trying to situate Château Simone Blanc in a larger context is difficult, but the apt comparisons highlight just how impressive the wine is. It has similarities with Hermitage Blanc and Bordeaux Blanc. They all share a regal stature. Simone Blanc differs from both in the wild complexity that even the young wines display and the fine thread of acidity that makes itself felt, especially in vintages like 2013.
The explanation for Simone's uniqueness and nobility begins with the fact that the limestone vineyards are unusual in that they face north and thus experience much less of Provence's intense sunlight. This endows the wine with shocking finesse, clarity and drive.
Simone's Blanc is always a textural wine with caressing depth of complexity. The classic notes are minerals, herbs, pine resin and various stone fruits. The 2013 delivers all of this complexity with a sparkling acidity and fine driving length. It's simply dazzling.
In vintages like 2013, Château Simone's Blanc represents some of the greatest value you can find in world-class, age-worthy white wines. Simone's Blanc has become a pillar of the store that we buy every year. Having said that, it's vintages like 2013 where Simone's glory is on full display.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits