A winegrowing heritage since the XVIᵉ century
Château Simone alone embodies a page in Provence's history. As early as 1552, the first written records attest to the presence of vines on this slope of Mount Sainte-Victoire, cultivated at the time by the monks of the Grands Carmes d'Aix. Pioneers of local viticulture, they built vaulted cellars dug into the rock, which to this day remain the technical and symbolic heart of the wine estate.
The year 1830 marked a new chapter for the wine estate, when the Rougier family acquired the bastide and its several hectares of vines. At the end of the XIXᵉ century, while the estate was being managed by the third Rougier generation, the phylloxera crisis ravaged the entire vineyard. It was gradually rebuilt, in particular by mass planting of Clairette.
At the turn of the 1940s, Jean Rougier, representing the fourth generation, resolutely defended the identity of the wine estate. It was thanks to his efforts that the name Château Simone was recognized by the INAO in 1946, followed by the creation of the Palette appellation in 1948, bringing the wine estate to the forefront of the national wine scene.
Since then, the estate has been handed down in a direct and unbroken line. Today, Jean-François Rougier continues the family tradition. He runs the wine estate with the same vision as his illustrious forefather: respect for the hundred-year-old vines, traditional growing practices without chemical fertilizers.
Terroirs, grape varieties and winemaking: the art of balance
At 23 hectares, Château Simone is the largest of Palette's five estates, covering more than half of the appellation. Its mosaic of naturally terraced plots rests on scree of lacustrine limestone, clay and gravel. On these north-facing hillsides, surrounded by a providential forest, the hundred-year-old vines benefit not only from the refreshing breezes of the Arc river, but also from controlled sunshine. This unique microclimate brings controlled heat, slow ripening and persistent freshness to the vines, whose advanced age gives the wines a rare concentration and finesse.
The Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Noir, Bourboulenc, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah and Carignan grapes have always been grown without chemical weedkillers or fertilizers, and missing vines are rigorously replaced. The plots are enriched with organic compost, and the wine estate does not hesitate to make successive sortings during the harvest to keep only the best grapes.
The winemaking process is equally respectful of tradition. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand, in order to guarantee the integrity of the berries. The winemaking process takes place in the historic vaulted cellars, where some of the tuns date back over two centuries: fermentation in stainless steel vats, ageing in oak tuns, precise temperature control and parcel-by-parcel work to reveal the uniqueness of each batch. Our techniques are designed to preserve the freshness, aromatic complexity and natural balance of our wines.
The soul of Provence in the bottle
Château Simone rosé, made from the same grape varieties as the red, seduces with its deep color and aromas of red fruits and spices. Its ample, structured palate combines freshness and intensity, reflecting the typicity of the terroir and the care taken with each parcel.
Château Simone red, a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and secondary grape varieties, is distinguished by its deep color and complex nose. On the palate, it reveals aromas of black fruits and spices, with an elegant tannic structure and a long finish, testifying to the richness of its terroir.
But the wine that really put Château Simone on the world map is Château Simone white. Its blend of mainly Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Ugni Blanc delivers a fleshiness marked by delicate minerality, sustained freshness and a persistence that translates the noble expression of the Palette AOC. Unquestionably one of Provence's finest wines.
Today, Château Simone is recognized as one of Provence's finest wine estates. Its range of white, red and rosé wines captivates with its complexity, elegance and impressive ageing potential. The Rougier family continues to pass on its ancestral know-how, ensuring the continuity of an exceptional winegrowing heritage and the international renown ofAOC Palette wines.