Wine Advisor
Simard 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Simard, a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, picked between September 21 and October 7, and matured in 30% new oak, has a perfumed, floral bouquet with hints of dried rose petals in between the raspberry coulis and fresh strawberry aromas. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with saturated tannin, crisp acidity, juicy and fresh with a pastille-like purity on the finish. So delicious you could almost drink this now! Often considered at the entry-level wine with Alain Vauthiard's portfolio, this is clearly going to give immense pleasure over the next decade.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2015 Simard possesses almost exactly the same bouquet as it showed in barrel, those raspberry and cranberry fruits tinged with dried rose petals. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine thread of acidity, tapering in slightly toward the finish that suggests it will benefit from a couple of years in bottle.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
This property is owned and managed by the Vauthier family of Château Ausone. The 2015 Simard is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It sports a medium to deep garnet-purple color and is vibrantly scented of red currants, black cherries and warm plums with hints of violets and fragrant earth. Medium-bodied, very fine, fruity and elegant with ripe, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, it finishes with a red cherry lift.
About the Producer
Introduction Château Simard has an enviable address on the sunny southern slopes of Saint-Émilion. Surrounded by the region’s first growth vineyards, Château Simard’s vineyard has excellent exposure and predominantly clay soil mixed with sand and gravel. Château Simard’s classical, refined style can be attributed not only to its fine vineyard location, but also to its traditional winemaking practices and distinctive aging program. The blend each year reflects the vineyard’s makeup of Merlot blended with Cabernet Franc. CLASSIC BORDEAUX Château Simard produces only one wine. It is classically elegant, with a refined style that results not only from the excellent vineyard location, but also from traditional winemaking methods employed at the château. Winemaking at Château Simard includes fermentation in concrete vats and an extended maceration period. During aging, it is racked using traditional methods. The wine is bottled and aged in the cellar, allowing the fragrance and flavors to develop complexity, nuance and finesse. HISTORIC RIGHT BANK With a legacy that dates back to the 17th century, Château Simard is located near the ancient and beautiful town of Saint-Émilion. Called the hill of 1,000 châteaux, Saint-Émilion is home to the Right Bank’s most prestigious estates. Among the most renowned of these is Château Ausone — one of only two estates classified in 1955 as Saint-Émilion Premiers Grands Crus Classés A — which is Château Simard’s sibling. The Saint-Émilion region is marked by moderate temperatures due to the nearby Dordogne River, which acts as a tempering mechanism to prevent spring frost and to moderate the summer heat. This allows for a long growing period to ensure perfect ripening. Merlot is king in Saint-Émilion, with Cabernet Franc its queen. These two grapes comprise most of the production of the region. The wines from Saint-Émilion are known for being sumptuous, with smooth tannins and the ability to age over long periods of time. A quintessential Saint-Émilion producer, Château Simard’s vineyard is surrounded by the region’s first growth vineyards. The 40-hectare (98.84-acre) hillside property is marked predominantly by clay with sand and gravel soil and a deep water table, forcing the vines to grow far into the ground. It is planted to Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines that average 30 years in age. In the reclassification of Saint-Émilion, which occurs approximately every ten years, Château Simard’s vineyards qualified for Grand Cru classification, however the winery’s owner at that time, Claude Mazière, valued his freedom from regulations and preferred to continue as he had for decades, hand-selling each vintage to his loyal customers. A FAMILY LEGACY Steeped in history, Château Simard has long intrigued Bordeaux fans. Originally owned by Count Simard, the vineyard was once a larger parcel. Then in 1870, a railroad track was built in the center of the vineyard, dividing it into two parcels: Château Simard and Haut Simard. Shortly thereafter, the Mazière family arrived in Saint-Émilion. They purchased a small château and part of the Haut Simard vineyard parcel. In the early 1920s they purchased the remainder of the parcel. Then in 1954, Claude Mazière assumed ownership of the Simard vineyard. Today, his nephew, Alain Vauthier, is the sole owner of the winery. Vauthier’s family has been producing wine in Saint-Émilion for several generations and with his daughter Pauline’s assistance, he will maintain the pristine health of the vineyard and restore the historic château. In 2008, he devoted the resources necessary to officially classify the Simard vineyard as Grand Cru. With a history of making the highest-quality wines, Château Simard has built its reputation on delivering those wines at exceptional value. With a new generation at the helm, it is sure to become recognized as one of the top growths of Saint-Émilion with a vibrant, promising future.
