“Les Grands Carmes de Simone”, Bouches-du-Rhône Blanc

This cuvée—made with the same care and approach as the Palette—is from the original terroir of the monastery vineyards on north-facing limestone slopes, where the vines are over 30 years of age. The grapes are hand harvested and sorted both in the vineyard and the cellar, ultimately yielding a wine comprised of 80% Clairette and 10% each of Ugni Blanc and Viognier. A mere 720 bottles are available to the US each vintage, which is barely enough to tide us over while we wait for the Palette Blanc to reach maturity.