Château Simard 2020

An attractive offering from the Vauthier family that isn't sold en primeur, the 2020 Simard offers up aromas of cherries, kirsch, rose petals and smoke, followed by a medium to full-bodied, pure and lively palate framed by powdery tannins. It's a Merlot-dominant blend from sandy soils on the plain.

Clear and bright floral aromatics on the nose, raspberry leaf and violets. Tight, closed tannins hiding some beautifully bright fruit. Yields were low, more affected by early-season mildew (conversion to organic farming began with this 2020 vintage). Vines at Château Simard are on sand-dominant soils, but access to water starts only 2m down, so they rarely block in dry weather—still, this is not as successful as St-Emilion wines on clay-limestone this year. 5% Petit Verdot to complete the blend. Conversion to organic farming as of this 2020 vintage. Harvest from September 10 to 24.

A linear and tight young red with beautifully ripe fruit featuring dark berries, dark chocolate and coffee. Some orange and citrus undertones. Ash, too. Full-bodied. Very tight and focused. Really well done. Excellent. Mostly merlot with some cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and a hint of petit verdot. Better in two or three years.

60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. 26 hl/ha (half the normal production). Cask sample. Stays on the fruit but with a more plummy, briary aspect than stablemate Fonbel. Slightly stricter tannins as well, the finish a little sandy. (JL)

The 2020 Simard is juicy and pastille-like on the nose with blackcurrant and light bilberry scents, a little backward initially, though it opens discretely with aeration. The palate is well balanced with strict, edgy tannins, fresh and focused. The 5% Petit Verdot imparts subtle blue fruit notes towards a nicely structured finish. This is one of the best Simard's that I have tasted in recent years.

Kirsch, cherries, flowers, spice and plums open the bouquet. Medium-bodied, the wine is soft, fresh, fruity and forward, with sweetness and lift in the almost crisp finish. You can enjoy this on release, or age it a bit for more complexity. Drink from 2023-2032.

Beautiful plum colour, spiced raspberry and red cherry fruits, edges of fennel and aniseed. 22hl/ha yield after the dry summer, harvest from September 10 to 24. An impressive wine from the Vauthier family, great for early to medium-term drinking, but these sandier soils suffered a little in the vintage conditions. Conversion to organic farming as of this 2020 vintage.

The 2020 Simard is composed of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it flies out of the glass with graceful scents of redcurrant jelly, blackberry preserves, and dried roses, giving way to a core of juicy black plums and clove oil. The medium-bodied palate is fine-boned, with satiny tannins and fantastic freshness supporting the elegant fruit, finishing with a red berry lift.

90-91

A nose of crushed raspberries, rich and opulent, gently smoky. An avalanche of dark fruits, with gripping tannins and a long finish of wild berries and vanilla.

The Simard vineyard covers 40 hectares. The vines lie at the foot of the slope, south of the village of Saint-Emilion. Clay-sandy and gravelly soils. Simard reveals itself with finesse. It first shows a touch of its élevage, coupled with graphite nuances and fruity notes. The wine is linear, juicy and has good density. Its tannins provide solid backing and indicate that patience will be rewarded—if you can resist the temptation to open a bottle. That’s no easy task!

A certain density of black and red fruit, fresh blackberry, and drive reveals itself on the first nose. The palate is streamlined, built around ripe, free-flowing, sapid fruit, with supple texture and silky, integrated tannins. A dynamic, juicy, and slender profile.

The wine's richness and structure are impressive. It has a series of firm tannins with acidity and layers of black fruits. The wine is set to develop over the medium term. Drink from 2026.