Châteaux Simard & Haut-Simard: Vineyards
Château Haut-Simard and Château Simard are located directly behind the railway station at St Emilion, overlooking the car park (as pictured), at the side of the road running up to the town. To the north of the line is the Haut-Simard vineyard, of which there are 8 hectares, while to the south of the line are the Simard vines. This latter portion is much larger, standing at 40 hectares. The terroir underfoot is generally sandy clay with some sections that are more gravelly, and some dominated by sand. The sections higher up, those that form the Haut-Simard vineyard, are somewhat more favourable with more clay and gravel, being closer to the côtes. The lower sections feature more sand.
It is informative to look at those domaines which neighbour the Simard and Haut-Simard vineyards. The most notable is surely Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, which lies diagonally apposed to the Simard château and cellars, on the opposite side of the road, and the opposite side of the railway line. The Neipperg vines run down as far as the main road, the D670, although it is also worth noting that he has some vines planted on the more prestigious limestone côtes, not something that can be said of either Château Haut-Simard or Château Simard. To the north and east of the Haut-Simard vines the vineyards are in the possession of Château La Gaffelière, further to the east is Château Gueyrot and beyond that the lower sections of the Château Pavie and Château Larcis Ducasse vineyards, both of which run down onto the sandy plain. Alongside the lower Simard vines, meanwhile, we find Clos Badon Thunevin and Château Peyrelongue.
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