Château Simard is a French treasure. Those of us who started to drink wine in the 1990s or 2000s, but didn’t yet have cellars full of mature wines, knew that we could always turn to... Read More

Château Simard is a French treasure. Those of us who started to drink wine in the 1990s or 2000s, but didn’t yet have cellars full of mature wines, knew that we could always turn to Simard. Sherry-Lehmann sold Simard’s 1989s for under $40.

Here we are, 25 years later, and incredibly, Simard is still at it (though Sherry-Lehmann is not). 

The thing is, we would love Château Simard even if it weren’t for the late releases and favorable prices. They are a French treasure because they've preserved the true soul of Saint-Émilion.

Château Simard is owned by the Vauthier family, the legendary proprietors of Château Ausone. Of all the great Bordeaux families with properties in Saint-Émilion, it is the Vauthiers who are most fervently associated with Bordeaux tradition. They eschewed the influence of Michel Rolland and Robert Parker, and continued to make “heritage” Saint-Émilion throughout the 1990s and 2000s and beyond.

Fermentations are in concrete. Macerations are long. Oak aging is minimal. Even the choice of grape variety is old-fashioned, with Cabernet Franc making up around 30% of the blend.

The result is wine that tastes like French treasure: leather, figs, kirsch and cedar. We imagine drinking it with a freshly hunted grouse — though we in fact find ourselves drinking it with a simple roast chicken.