he story of Jules begins in the late '80s when Hugh and Jane Faulkner fell in love with the region and the wines of the Grand Cros estate. After some debate, the Canadian couple purchased the 60 acre Domaine.

Founded in the 17th century, Le Grand Cros has a long and storied tradition of winemaking. Raymond Guido, Grand Cros winemaker for 30 years, was a key contributor to the estate's history. Raymond continued to make the wine until 2000 when he retired, and Julian, the Faulkners' son, assumed the winemaking duties.

We are proud to announce that the winner of the Crush War of the Rosés (by total number of customer votes) is from an estate that shares our beliefs that good wine begins with good soil and that great wine is a magnification of terroir.

Luckily, they also understand that simply owning good land is not enough, but an incredible amount of work is required to coax truly outstanding results out of the earth.

2,500 years ago, the first vines were planted in Bandol, making it one of the oldest vineyards in France. In the years since, the region nestled into the hills a hop, skip and jump away from the Mediterranean has kept mostly quiet on the world market, while the most wine savvy have recognized Bandol as one of the most noble wine regions in the world.

Mourvèdre, the star grape of the show in Bandol, responds best to plenty of sun and warm weather bookended by cool nights to achieve proper ripeness, conditions which describe Provence perfectly. The grape also particularly likes limestone soil, which is mixed with silicon in this unique little microclimate.

The red wines of Bandol are known for their brooding tannins, earthy, herbal, smoky notes and their distinct sense of wildness. In youth, they deserve a hefty decant, but they're really at their best with age. The 2004 Pradeaux has, at the least, another decade in it and deserves a spot in the well-rounded cellar.

As France's oldest wine region, Provence has been making wine - and specifically rosé - for 2,600 years. Around 600 BC, the ancient Greeks rolled into southern France with vines in tow. At the time, all wines were rosé, as they hadn't yet experimented with extended macerations for deeper red wines from black grapes.

By the time the Romans came (and named the area Provincia Romana), the area had a reputation across the Mediterranean for outstanding rosés.

In the Middle Ages, the local abbeys made rosé wine as a revenue source for monasteries, and as time crept into the 14th century, nobility and military leaders took over vineyard management, and rosé became the classic wine of kings and aristocrats.

In the 20th century, increased tourism along the Cote d'Azur increased rosé production and its reputation, and today modern techniques and inspired winemakers have improved the character and quality of Provence’s rosés.

The Brooding Personality of Provence
2004 Pradeaux Bandol Rouge
The New York Times Profiles the "Other Side" of Provence

"...within sniffing distance of the Mediterranean, surprisingly sturdy wines made largely from the mourvedre grape can stun you with their haunting beauty." - Eric Asimov, New York Times

Simone is located in the small, obscure appellation of Palette (it totals a mere 35ha) just north of Aix-en-Provence in the heart of Provence. Though there's another producer or two, Chateau Simone, who has been in the hands of the Rouget family for seven generations, rules the Palette appellation. 

Compared to the rest of the Provençal wines Chateau Simone stands out for its balance, refinement and poise.

One of the World's Great White Wines
2007 Château Simone Blanc
The Mysterious Soul of Provence
Lowest Price in the Nation

Tricky greatness. Sneaky greatness. Complicated greatness.

There's a difference between "obvious, well-known greatness" and what we'll call "complicated greatness."

The former are the icons (DRC La Tâche for example). These are the wines that can, for better or worse, devolve into labels and status symbols. The latter are the wines that skirt the periphery, that are profound because they remain so elusive, so indefinable, so mysterious.

Vinous, Serious, Singular, Cerebral Rosé
2009 Clos Cibonne Rosé des Vignettes

This is extraordinarily interesting wine, forget the fact that it is a rosé .

Let's face it: There's schism in the rosé world.

On the one hand, there are the crisp, fresh rosés to be drunk in the sun without much thought. Then there are the select few, the Cotats, Valentinis and Chateau Simones of the rosé world. Serious, vinous wines that hover between white and red wines and find themselves in the cellars of savvy collectors.

This IS Provence for the winter: A medium-bodied red showing layers of baked red and black fruits, roasted Provençal herbs, pepper, licorice and meat, as well as a beautiful integration of soil and stone.