Self ISolation : Day # 42 - Fin

2009 Château Simone Palette Blanc

With Colorado beginning the transition of ‘sheltering at home’ to staying ‘safer at home’ today comes the gradual re-opening of society and the end to my daily bottle of quarantine wine. I marked the occasion with a bottle very special to me because, as a friend recently told me, “What am I waiting for, the end of the world?” So to Provence, France and the tiny appellation of Palette we go. At just over 100 hectares in size, Palette sits on the outskirts of Aix-en-Provence and is dominated by the singular Grand Cru de Provence, Château Simone. Run by the Rougier family for over two hundred years, the estate crafts world-class red, white, and rosé blends from traditional Provençal varietals. A blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulanc, Ugni Blanc, and Muscat Blanc, their white is a tour de force of flavors and a textural monster. The fifty-year-old vines give depth and complexity while the unique northerly aspect of the vineyards, combined with the cooling influence of the surrounding forest, help to preserve the backbone of refreshing acidity. Full bodied, rich, and round, the flavors of melon, stone fruit, apple, pear, citrus fruit, orchard blossom, and fine herbs coat the palate. The lengthy finish is marked by a saline minerality and hints of preserved citrus and savory spices. Even at eleven years old it remains tightly wound requiring a lengthy decant to completely open up, an indication of the potential longevity of these special wines.