Château Simone Palette Rouge 2019

Château Simone effectively created the Palette appellation, a small Provence denomination built on a distinctive limestone soil called Calcaire de Langesse that the Rougier family recognised as ideal for quality wine. Best known for its whites, the estate makes an equally serious red from Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. The limestone bedrock holds water and reflects heat, giving wines that ripen fully yet keep a firm mineral backbone and freshness, while Mourvèdre in particular brings structure, a gamey savour and ageing potential to the perfumed Grenache. The wine spends twelve months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood settles the tannins and adds a light spice and cedar tone without masking the fruit. Expect a deep ruby colour, a concentrated nose of ripe black fruit, red berries and spicy, almost truffled notes over dried herbs and earth, and a smooth, harmonious palate with fine tannins and a long savoury finish. This is a red built for the cellar as much as the table. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted ahead, with roast and braised meat.