Palette Rouge Château Simone 2020

The Palette Rouge from the famous French winery Château Simone is a red wine from Provence that combines power and finesse. Together with its Blanc and Rosé counterparts, Château Simone's Palette Rouge highlights the extraordinary winemaking vocation of the Palette area, a rather circumscribed appellation that falls within the territories of Aix-en-Provence, Meyreuil and Le Tholonet. This AOC, recognised in 1948 thanks to the efforts of Jean Rougier, the fourth generation winemaker who was at the helm of Château Simone, owes its name to the small village of Palette, located near Le Tholonet.

Château Simone Palette Rouge comes from a blend of Grenache (45%), Mourvèdre (30%) and Cinsault (5%), combined with 20% so-called 'secondary' grapes, including Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan and various Muscatels. The vines, which are over 50 years old, grow on north-facing hillsides and are rooted on soils characterised by anabundance of limestone. Agronomic management envisages the total exclusion of insecticides and chemical herbicides, while the harvest is carried out strictly by hand with a strict selection of the grapes. In the cellar, the crushing and destemming of the grapes are followed by spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with temperature control, accompanied by 15-21 days of maceration on the skins. The subsequent ageing phase takes place in small oak barrels for the first 8 months and then in large barrels of different ages for the following 12 months.

Château Simone's Palette Rouge is a deep ruby red colour. On the nose, fine scents of cherry and other red fruits alternate with lively notes of Mediterranean scrubland and sweet spices. The palate is very intense and fresh, with a dense but noble tannic structure that contributes to the powerful overall structure without detracting from the wine's agile progression.