"This historic estate holds a virtual monopoly on the appellation of Palette. Chateau Simone encompasses twenty hectares of vineyards that sit on limestone soils on the slopes of Montaiguet. All of the grapes are hand harvested, destemmed, lightly pressed and fermented for 15 to 20 days in small wooden vats with only wild yeast, then put into small foudre to rest on the lees. The red from Simone is an elegant wine of great depth. It is primarily composed of Grenache and Mourvedre but its special character reflects the presence of a melange other grape varieties, including Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Castet, Manosquin, Theoulier, Tibouren, Picpoul Noir and Muscat De Hambourg. The wine is a classic that deserves to be aged in order to best appreciate its many nuances." --importer Neil Rosenthal