About this WINE
Chateau Simard
Ch. Simard has been in the Vauthier family, owners of Ch. Ausone, since 1954 and its chalky, gravely soils produce wines particularly elegant and expressive of its fine terroir. Cellar Master Thierry Lezin and Vineyard Manager Laurent Vallet work together to produce excellent wines from vines with an average age of 20 years.
Merlot
The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
In St.Emilion and Pomerol it withstands the moist clay rich soils far better than Cabernet grapes, and at it best produces opulently rich, plummy clarets with succulent fruitcake-like nuances. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of hedonistically rich Merlot wines at their very best. It also plays a key supporting role in filling out the middle palate of the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Médoc and Graves.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in California, Chile and Northern Italy.
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Description
The 2012 is the second vintage of this particular Grand Cru, selected for us by Alain Vauthier, co-owner of the illustrious Ch. Ausone. The wine shows a bright, deep-ruby colour and a perfumed nose of ripe, red fruit as well as a hint of spice from oak ageing. The palate is nicely balanced, with ample bramble fruit and an easy, flowing style: a traditional style of St Emilion, with soft, gentle fruit concentration, and a long, rounded finish.
Max Lalondrelle, Wine Buyer
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