Haut Simard

History of Château Haut-Simard

The earliest traces of the estate date back to the sixteenth century, on the lands of the village of Simard, founded in the fifteenth century by a jurat of Saint-Émilion. The current name was appended under the Second Empire, in 1865, by the Simard family, who gave their name to the cru. In 1870, the vast property of the Count of Simard was divided in two by the passage of a railway line: two distinct yet inseparable estates were thus born — Château Simard, over some forty hectares, and Château Haut-Simard, over some ten hectares.

Acquired in 1954 by Claude Mazière, the estate was taken over upon his death by his nephew Alain Vauthier, an iconic figure of Saint-Émilion who has directed Château Haut-Simard since 2008. The Vauthier family is world-renowned for the prestigious Château Ausone, Premier Grand Cru Classé, and also owns Châteaux Moulin Saint-Georges, Fonbel and La Clotte. Alain Vauthier today oversees the estate alongside his daughter Pauline, perpetuating an exceptional expertise.

Terroirs and Vines of Château Haut-Simard

The vineyard of Château Haut-Simard extends over some ten hectares under the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, at the foot of the slopes. Benefiting from a fine south-south-west exposure, the vines sink their roots into a mosaic of soils comprising limestone, sand and clay veins, typical of this corner of Saint-Émilion. This terroir imparts maturity, depth and a natural freshness to the wines.

The planting density is particularly high, reaching 12,600 vines per hectare, which encourages the concentration of the grapes and the precision of the fruit. The grape variety composition gives pride of place to cabernet franc (approximately 60%), complemented by merlot (approximately 40%). This high proportion of cabernet franc, a noble grape variety, defines the style of the cru: a taut, fresh and complex wine that reveals a little more of its terroir with each vintage.

Vinification at Château Haut-Simard

The wines of Château Haut-Simard benefit from the expertise of Vignobles Vauthier, a guarantee of the highest level of standards. Vinification takes place in traditional concrete vats, plot by plot, in order to preserve the purity and expression of the fruit. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French oak barrels.

The wine is then aged for around twelve months, with approximately half new barrels, which provides structure and finesse without masking the terroir. This careful vinification, combined with the high proportion of cabernet franc, produces a powerful and dense Saint-Émilion that is both thoroughbred and fresh, built for ageing.

The Cuvées of Château Haut-Simard

Château Haut-Simard (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, red) is the estate's flagship cuvée. A blend dominated by cabernet franc complemented by merlot, this wine displays a brilliant robe with violet highlights in its youth. Its nose opens on ripe red and black fruits, enhanced by notes of coffee and fine oak. The palate, rich and generous, reveals fat perfectly balanced by a fine freshness and supported by well-integrated tannins.

Powerful and dense, this sun-drenched cru gains in complexity with time and is distinguished by its fine ageing potential. It pairs ideally with red meats, game, lamb and aged cheeses. Originating from the same estate, Château Haut-Simard shares its history with the neighbouring Château Simard, a more approachable wine that represents another fine introduction to the world of Saint-Émilion.