Château Simone Blanc is typically a blend of organically farmed Clairette (80%), Grenache Blanc (10%), Bourboulenc (5%), Ugni Blanc (3%) and Muscat (2%). Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in oak vats. Aged for 18 months in old oak barriques, of which the first 6 months with fine lees.
Henri Bonnaud Quintessence is typically a blend of organically farmed Clairette Blanche, Clairette Rosé and Ugni Blanc. Fermented and aged for 8 months in oak barrels.
Moderately deep, concentrated honey-yellow color with a slightest hint of haze. Creamy, somewhat restrained and very slightly funky nose with nuanced aromas of wizened golden apples, some peach, a little bit of dried herbs, light metallic notes, a hint of coniferous forest and a sweet touch of exotic fruits. The wine is full-bodied, concentrated and quite oily on the palate with somewhat sweet-toned flavors of pineapple, creamy oak, some savory wood spice, a little bit of nuttiness, light red apple tones and a juicy hint of honeydew melon. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth. The overall feel is not without breadth and the soft medium acidity accentuates the roundness of the mouthfeel. The long finish is ripe, juicy and slightly warm with slightly sweet-toned flavors of pineapple, golden apples, some creamy richness, a little bit of savory wood spice, light nutty tones and a hint of dried aromatic herbs.
A nice and rich but also perhaps a bit too heavy effort for a red wine. The overall feel is enjoyably rich, complex and juicy, but with the rather modest acidity it is also a bit too much on the weighty and ponderous side. The overall feel is very similar to a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape with the luscious exotic fruit tones, high alcohol, oily mouthfeel and modest acidity. Needs to be served very cool just to boost the acidity enough. (88 pts.)
Moderately deep, luminous and quite concentrated honey-yellow color. Somewhat restrained, waxy and slightly funky nose with aromas of ripe citrus fruits, some wizened peach, a little bit of pineapple, light dried herb notes and a hint of nuttiness. The wine is broad, full-bodied and oily on the palate with flavors of sweet honeydew melon, very ripe golden apple, some overripe pineapple tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light waxy tones and a hint of chopped nuts. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The medium acidity doesn’t really lend much freshness to the mouthfeel, but just keeps the wine somewhat in balance. The finish is rich, fruity and lengthy with quite intense flavors of ripe green apples, some stony minerality, a little bit of juicy citrus fruits, light cantaloupe tones, a hint of pineapple and a touch of nuttiness.
Tasting this vintage side-by-side with the 2017, the both wines were remarkably similar to each other, both being very rich, weighty and oily in style. The only difference seemed to be that this vintage showed an inch more of richness and nuance, which might just be age doing its job with the wine. Very good and tasty, but a tad too heavy for my taste - reminds me of white Châteauneuf-du-Pape with its richness, high alcohol and modest acidity. (89 pts.)
Pale straw yellow color. A dry, somewhat smoky, slightly reductive nose reminding me of a modern, fresh Aussie Chardonnay. Aromas of flint smoke, some fresh pineapple, a little bit of ripe red apple and a hint of savory wood spice. The wine is ripe, juicy and moderately full-bodied on the palate with complex flavors of pineapple, chopped nuts, gunpowder smoke, some toasty notes, a little bit of sweet apricot, light golden apple tones, a hint of creaminess and a touch of tropical fruits. Has a somewhat white Mâconnais feel to it with its ripe yellow-toned fruit and judicious use of oak. The medium-plus acidity keeps the balance nicely in check. The finish is ripe, juicy and quite rich with flavors of red apples, some flint smoke, a little bit of nutty oak, light pineapple tones, a hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of powdered ammonium chloride (aka. salty liquorice).
A very balanced, harmonious and tasty Palette Blanc. Lacking the richness and complexity of Simone Palette Blanc 2016 that was tasted alongside, but shows more sense of freshness, structure and focus. Quite enjoyable and harmonious effort for a Provencal white; most likely will continue to improve for many years more. (90 pts.)
Quite deep and very slightly hazy golden yellow color. The nose feels sweet, fresh and slightly wild, all at the same time. Complex aromas of spicy red apples, some wizened yellow fruits, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light creamy notes of panna cotta, a hint of exotic spices and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is concentrated, juicy and somewhat oily on the palate with a full body and a rather pronounced alcohol warmth, making me think if this wine is clocking “only” at 14%? Rich and complex flavors of sweet red apples, juicy apricot, some beeswax, a little bit of exotic spice, light nutty tones, a hint of honeydew melon and a touch of developed caramel character. Contrasting the ripe overall feel and rich texture, the wine is moderately high in acidity, lending it some nice firmness and sense of freshness. Long, complex and moderately warm finish with intense flavors of spicy red apples and savory exotic spices, beeswax, some pineapple, a little bit of developed nuttiness, light savory wood tones, a hint of caramel and a touch of cooked cream.
An impressive vintage of Simone Blanc that is very complex, harmonious and surprisingly fresh for its size. The overall feel is starting to show some mature characteristics, making it feel like the wine is hitting its optimal drinking window. Based on how quickly the wine seems to evolve in the glass, I’d say this is not meant for the long haul but instead probably best if drunk within the next handful of years. Probably will start to fall apart after its 10th birthday, or maybe even before that. Fortunately the wine is quite gorgeous right now. (92 pts.)
Somewhat pale lemon yellow color - slightly deeper than the Quintessence 2016 that was tasted alongside. The nose as well is very similar to the Quintessence 2016, perhaps showing a bit more sense of depth and concentration, thanks to the age. Aromas of pineapple, some toasty notes, a little bit of flint smoke, light sweet notes of golden apples, a hint of nectarine and a sappy touch of birch leaves. The wine is moderately full-bodied, ripe and somewhat waxy on the palate, but slightly lighter than the 2016 vintage. Layered and quite intense flavors of golden apples, flint smoke, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of savory wood, light salty liquorice tones, a hint of pineapple and a touch of floral spice. The moderately high acidity feels surprisingly high for such ripeness. The finish is dry, spicy and quite lengthy with complex flavors of spicy red apple, some salty liquorice powder, a little bit of flint smoke, light notes of exotic spices, a hint of floral complexity and a touch of ripe, zesty citrus fruits.
A very nice, fresh and complex that shows quite a bit of breadth and ripeness, yet still manages to come across wonderfully fresh and precise at the same time. Not showing any noticeable development yet and most likely will continue to age wonderfully for years more. While not a match in richness and complexity for Simone Blanc 2015, I ultimately favored this wine because of its wonderful sense of concentrated fruit and bright acidity. A fine, cellarworthy Palette white. Very nice! (93 pts.)
Luminous golden yellow color; slightly lighter and less deep in hue than the surrounding vintages 2015 and 2013 that were tasted at the same time. The nose feels fruity, sweet-toned and slightly evolved with nuanced aromas of poached pears, some nutty notes of almond, a little bit of skunky something that feels a bit like flatulent reduction, light lactic notes of cooked cream and apple-flavored yogurt, a mineral hint of wet stones and a touch of smoked salmon. Lots of everything, really. The wine is dry, moderately full-bodied and less oily than any other Simone Blanc I’ve had from 2012 to 2017. Bright, focused flavors of savory spices, mealy red apples, some stony minerality, a little bit of tangy salinity, light nutty notes of almond, a hint of pineapple and a touch of nectarine. The wine doesn’t feel young, but neither does it feel particularly evolved. Bright, quite high acidity that feels higher than is typical for Simone. The finish is dry, quite acid-driven and pretty long with flavors of ripe citrus fruits, crunchy red-toned fruits, some tangy salinity, a little bit of stony minerality, light peachy fruit and a hint of creamy oak.
A very sophisticated and relatively fresh and precise effort for a Simone Blanc - lacks the oomph and viscosity typical of this wine, coming across as lighter and more focused. In a vertical of Simone Blanc 2017-2012, this particular vintage felt somewhat younger and less evolved than the surrounding vintages. Although not as complex and impressive as the bigger and weightier vintages, this was nevertheless very enjoyable and with its combination of ripeness and quite high acidity, in all likelihood it is going to be more longer-lived than many of the 2010’s vintages. Perhaps not that impressive now, but shows great potential for future improvement; expect the score to go up with age. (91 pts.)
Somewhat developed medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Shows a bit less smoke and reduction than the two preceding vintages tasted alongside, coming across more “Viré-Clessé” than “Puligny-Montrachet” in its relatively Burgundian style. Aromas of ripe green apple, some chopped herbs, a little bit of creaminess, light notes of greengage, a hint of white peach and a touch of breadth that suggest oak aging without any noticeable oaky flavors. The wine is ripe, moderately full-bodied and quite concentrated on the palate with juicy and pretty dense flavors of creaminess, sweet golden apples and ripe citrus fruits, some vanilla custard, a little bit of stony minerality, light apricot tones, a hint of honeydew melon and a touch of smoke. Quite high acidity that keeps the wine in wonderful balance. The finish is dry, long and refreshing with rather spicy flavors of ripe red apples, some sweet creamy tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light stony mineral tones, a hint of vanilla custard and a touch of pomelo.
A delightful, fresh and quite concentrated Palette Blanc that shows some sense of evolution, but still comes across more youthful than developed. Unlike the vintages 2015 and 2016, that felt somewhat Burgundian in a slightly smoky “Côte de Beaune” style, this was more “Mâconnais” in style, showing less smoky reduction, no noticeable oak and more fruit-forward character. If served blind, I’d be quite happy to place this wine in southern Burgundy than in Provence. Very harmonious, captivating and delicious in every way. Most likely will continue to improve for years more. Highly recommended. (94 pts.)
Quite deep and somewhat developed golden yellow color with a slightly bronze core. Rich, concentrated and somewhat evolved nose with seductive aromas of beeswax, wizened apricots, some woolly notes, a little bit of apple sauce, light sappy herbal tones, a mineral hint of wet stones and a touch of kiwi. The wine feels developed, lively and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, complex flavors of chopped nuts, ripe red apples, some caramel, a little bit of stony minerality, light notes of greengage and cantaloupe, a hint of dried stone fruits and a touch of herbal spice. The acidity feels moderately high and well-balanced, and the mouthfeel isn’t as rich and oily as in more recent vintages. The persistent finish is dry, slightly warm and enjoyably acid-driven with a slightest hint of tannic tug on the gums. The aftertaste leaves complex flavors of wizened red apples, some cantaloupe, a little bit of mature nuttiness, light stony mineral notes and a hint of beeswax in the mouth.
A very fine and sophisticated example of Simone Blanc with good sense of concentration without coming across as oily and viscous as the more recent vintages. Aromatically this feels both more evolved and more impressive than the vintage 2014 that was tasted alongside. However, while the 2014 seemed like it is going to have a long life ahead, this vintage feels like it is pretty close to its peak. Most likely the wine will still keep for years more, but I suspect any further development is going to be quite limited. Probably best if drunk soon or within the next handful of years. (93 pts.)
Somewhat evolved, deep burnished golden yellow color. Sweet-toned and somewhat evolved nose with aromas of creamy oak and some vanilla custard, a little bit of savory wood spice, light fruity notes of golden apples and nectarine, a floral hint of apple blossom and a touch of wool. Aromatically the wine reminds me more of an imaginary blend of aged Burgundy and aged Loire Chenin than anything particularly Provencal. The wine is ripe, lively and slightly oily on the palate with a moderately full body. Intense flavors of ripe golden apples, vanilla custard, some honeydew melon and cantaloupe, light pear jam tones, a little bit of herbal garrigue, a hint of wool and a touch of creamy richness. Overall the wine feels very balanced, harmonious and quite structured with its moderately high acidity. Wonderfully silky texture. The ripe finish is dry, long and nuanced with layered flavors of honeydew melon, sweet golden apples, some wizened nectarine, a little bit of vanilla custard, light stony mineral tones and a hint of tangy salinity.
A very fine, attractive and harmonious vintage of Quintessence. Feels less Burgundian than the younger vintages (2014-2016) that were tasted alongside. While showing some sense of development, the wine doesn’t feel particularly mature and most likely there is still a lot of room for further evolution. Drinking really nicely right now, but most likely will continue to improve for years more. Delicious and very rewarding effort. Recommended. (93 pts.)
Moderately developed burnished golden yellow color with a coppery core. Complex, evolved and slightly sherried nose with slightly Fino-like aromas aldehydic green apple tones and some green almond, a little bit of cantaloupe and pineapple, light smoky tones, a hint of chopped walnuts and a touch of sorrel. The wine is evolved, complex and tangy on the palate with a moderately full body and layered flavors of aldehydic green apples and tangy salinity, some ripe white peach, a little bit of green almond, light developed notes of hay and wool, sweet hints of honeyed richness and concentrated caramel character and a touch of golden raisin. Somewhat oily mouthfeel with moderately high acidity. The finish is quite fresh and relatively acid-driven with complex and somewhat oxidative flavors of wizened apples, some white peach, a little bit of tangy salinity, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and walnuts, a hint of creaminess and a touch of golden raisin.
A rich, complex and very evolved Simone Blanc that feels both more evolved and more oxidative compared to the last time I had this wine +4 years ago. Back then the wine was impressively complex, weighty and somewhat oily; the wine seems to have lost some of the weight and gras, but is also getting rather tired and most likely taking its first steps downhill. Nevertheless, the wine is still pretty rewarding, exhibiting quite a bit of that mature Simone Blanc complexity. Without any of those Fino-Sherry notes of tangy acetaldehyde the wine would be in an excellent shape, but now it feels like the wine isn’t showing its best anymore and it is going to go only downhill from here. Probably was peaking a year or two ago. Time to drink up. (90 pts.)
Intense, medium-deep lemon-yellow color with a golden core. Complex, very attractive and somewhat Burgundian nose with cool. layered aromas of ripe red apple, some smoky notes of flinty reduction, a little bit of creamy oak and custard, light fruity notes of white peach and greengage, a mature hint of marzipan and a touch of toasty nuances. Very lovely. The wine is ripe, lively and fresh on the palate with a medium body and complex flavors of creaminess, sweet golden apples, some white peach and apricot tones, light mature notes of vanilla custard and marzipan, a hint of dried pineapple and a touch of stony minerality. Bright, high acidity. The finish is dry, long and quite acid-driven with complex and rather concentrated flavors of sweet tropical fruits, creamy oak, some fruity notes of greengage and white peach, light vanilla custard tones, a hint of stony minerality and a subtle touch of powdered salty liquorice.
A beautiful, complex and harmonious example of Palette Blanc and a very complete wine by all accounts. The wine isn’t young anymore, but neither does it feel particularly developed - for example it feels slightly more youthful compared to the Quintessence 2013 that was tasted alongside. The age is starting to show here, but not too much. Overall the wine has a surprisingly Burgundian feel to it, especially in the nose. While a terrific wine right now, I can imagine this will continue to improve for years more. Probably the best Bonnaud Quintessence I’ve tasted yet. Very highly recommended. (95 pts.)
Intense, medium-deep lemon-yellow color with a golden core. Damp, musty nose with TCA aromas of papier-mâché and moldy cellar.
Corked. NR (flawed)
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1996 Château Simone Palette Rosé - France, Provence, Palette (30.5.2020)
A blend of organically farmed Grenache (45%), Mourvèdre (30%) and Cinsault (5%) with remaining 20% rounded out by Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan, Muscat Noir and Muscat Blanc. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in oak vats. Aged for 12 months in old oak foudres with fine lees. 12,5% alcohol.
Mature coppery reddish-brown color with a luminous orange rim. Very intense, tertiary nose with complex aromas of red raisins reminding me of red Beerenauslese wines, sweet notes of caramel and acacia honey, some smoky tones, a little bit of meat consommé, light nuances of baked apple, a hint of grilled pineapple and a touch of dried flowers. The wine is dry, lively and medium-bodied on the palate with complex flavors of burnt sugar, dark raisiny fruit, smoky tones, some gamey umami, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, hints of autumnal leaves and a touch of cherry pit. While the wine doesn’t feel young anymore, it is remarkably vibrant and very much alive for its age. The high acidity lends great sense of structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is very long and complex with dry, developed flavors of raisins and caramel, some meaty umami, a little bit of wizened red cherry, light notes of plum pits, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of burnt sugar bitterness.
A beautiful, complex and harmonious rosé that feels very developed, but at the same time remarkably alive and fresh for its advanced age. I had my doubts if the wine was even drinkable anymore, but it turned out to be a very impressive and thoroughly rewarding experience. Perhaps not a light and refreshing summer rosé anymore, but a unique experience all the same. A real testament to the aging capabilities of Château Simone’s rosés. (95 pts.)
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