Critic ratings
robert_parker
2023
Rating:
94
–94
Once again this year, Château Simone has crafted an exceptional rosé. The 2023 Palette Rosé, made from a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Castet, Carignan, Syrah, Manosquin and various Muscats, presents a complex and dense bouquet of red berries, spices, blood orange, grapefruit and strawberries, enhanced by ethereal menthol notes. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and round in texture, it’s sappy with a delicate phenolic mid-palate that transitions into a long, penetrating and saline finish. Ideally suited for pairing with food, this rosé can also benefit from cellaring for up to 5 to 10 years.
robert_parker
2022
Rating:
95
–95
A blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, plus 20% mixed "secondary" varieties, including Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan and various Muscats, all sourced from vines planted on calcareous soils facing north, the 2022 Palette Rose is one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage. Its complex, well-defined bouquet reveals aromas of raspberry, orchard fruit, spring flowers, spices, grapefruit, red berries and an attractive minty top note. Medium to full-bodied with a succulent entry, the wine is perfectly balanced on the palate, with a nicely integrated oak hint and a fleshy core of fruit, followed by a penetrating, mineral, lingering finish. This profound, young rosé represents the essence of the renowned limestone terroir of Palette—a must-have.
robert_parker
2020
Rating:
93
–93
From one of the grand old estates of Provence, the 2020 Palette Rose is a dark pink, copper-tinged rosé—a blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, plus 20% mixed "secondary" varieties, including Syrah, Castet, Manosquin, Carignan and various Muscats. From old vines grown on north-facing slopes, it's nevertheless on the fuller side, with ample weight, richness and texture, fermented and aged in a combination of oak foudres and concrete eggs. Strawberry and raspberry fruit dominates, softened and rounded by the extended elevage that wine receives, yet still vibrant and compelling.
robert_parker
2012
Rating:
92
–92
A beautiful effort made from a blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, and the rest Castet, Manosquin, Carignan, Muscat Noir & Blanc, aged in barrel, the 2012 Rose sports a dark, Tavel-like raspberry color to go with clean, pure and complex notes of black cherry, wild strawberries and dried flowers. Medium-bodied, seamless and pure, it has a fabulous texture that carries plenty of fruit while staying light, elegant and very drinkable. It's expensive, but certainly has class. Enjoy it with food over the coming year or three.
