Château Simard 2012 (Magnum)

Name: Château Simard 2012 (Magnum)
Brand: Château Simard
Rating: 3.9 (7 reviews)

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru|Red wine

Bordeaux

Red

Sold individually

Drink or Keep

3.9/5 (7 customers)

1*Étoile

Hachette

15/20

Bettane & Desseauve

15/20

Gault & Millau

15/20

Decanter

"This wine, matured in concrete vats, possesses a lovely velvety texture, giving Simard an extraordinary charm, where the fruit is very precise on a medium-bodied wine with a pretty violet finish" (Le Figaro - Bernard Burtschy). (Le Figaro - Bernard Burtschy) Fresh and very elegant, this Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, owned by Alain Vauthier (Château Ausone), has a silky texture and a greedy juice that calls for drinking!

Features

Estate

Château Simard

Cuvée

(Magnum)

Vintage

2012

Designation

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Region

Bordeaux

Grape varieties

65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc

Terroirs

sandy-clay, gravelly and sandy soils

Viticulture

traditional and meticulous

Harvest

at optimum maturity

Breeding

in concrete tanks

Alcohol content

13%

Tasting & pairing

Eye

dark ruby colour

Nose

aromas of graphite, cherry pit, blackcurrant, tobacco and walnut with a woody undertone

Mouth

Good acidity and tight tannins. Supple texture. Long finish.

Serve

at 16-18°C

Drink from

2018

Drink before

2021

Food and wine pairing

goes very well with beef and carrots, pork brochettes, lamb chops...

Château Simard

More information on Château Simard

Saint-Emilion

More information on Saint-Emilion

Expert opinion

Bettane & Desseauve

Rated 15/20 (Very good wine)

Domaine rated (2020 guide) 2*Stars (A serious and recommendable production, but a little more regular and homogeneous than the previous one)

About the wine:

Elegant roundness with mellow tannins, this wine is already drinkable.

About the domain :

Pauline and Alain Vauthier, owners and winemakers of the famous Château Ausone, look after this family estate where they have distinguished two cuvées, simard and haut-simard, covering some 50 hectares. The latter, launched in 2007, has become a sure bet. The wines evolve perfectly in bottle. Their suppleness and pleasant tannins are appreciated. For less than 20 euros, it's hard to compete!

Decanter

Rated 15/20

Guide Hachette des vins

Wine rated (2016 guide) 1*Star (Very successful wine)

Domaine noté (guide 2020) Award-winning wines (The wines of this producer are regularly awarded by the guide)

About the wine:

Vinified and aged for eighteen months in concrete vats, Simard's 2012 (35% Cabernet Franc alongside Merlot) boasts a fresh bouquet of violets, black fruits, brambles and spices. This freshness is extended by a silky, supple, fine palate with round tannins, enhanced by a hint of noble herbs on the finish.

About the domain :

Separate but inseparable: Simard and Haut-Simard were born of the 1870 division of the Count de Simard's vast estate by a railway line; 40 ha for the former, 10 ha for the latter, acquired in 1954 by Claude Mazière and taken over on his death by his nephew Alain Vauthier (Ausone). The Vauthier family also owns Ch. de Fonbel, not far from Simard.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

Wine rated (2014 guide) 15/20 (Very good)

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Domaine noté (guide 2020) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)

Wine Enthusiast

Domaine noté (guide 2020) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Wine Enthusiast)

Customer reviews

Customer rating

3.9/5

out of 7 reviews

Note and review by M. FRANCOIS J. Published on 03/01/2019

It's good but not extraordinary; for me 2012 is not a good year, which must be why there are so many for sale in Bordeaux.