Northern Rhône 2020

Although Domaine Ogier is based in Ampuis in the Northern Rhône, Stéphane has made one very savvy investment in the South. From a site near Cairanne he produces this brilliant value Cotes du Rhône. It delivers fantastically juicy, lightly grippy length, with an abundance of sweet red fruit flavours, thanks to the 60% Grenache in the blend, which is filled out with 40% Syrah. It has smooth, attractive tannins thanks to the high proportion of whole bunch used in its fermentation.

Stéphane Ogier’s reputation is built on his Côte-Rôties. This cuvée is a blend of ten plots, mostly from the northern part of the appellation. It was first created in 2010, with Stéphane wanting to create a blended Côte-Rôtie that has all the signature style and spice of the hillside, but is accessible a little earlier than some of his single vineyard wines that are released later. It comes mostly from his younger vines, between 10 and 30 years old. It is bursting with Syrah black pepper and red currants, with a floral note lifting the palate. Salty tannins carry through onto the finish.

This Vin de Pays comes from vineyards situated just behind the hillside of Côte-Rôtie, on the same granitic soils as the famous slope. It is a floral and dark-berried with a glossy freshness. It’s a great introduction to Stéphane’s Northern Rhône range. A mini-Côte-Rôtie.

This Condrieu has a pithy, mineral tension, with some lovely bite on the mid-palate.

As you move up through the Ogier wines, the amount of whole-bunch fruit used in their vinification climbs. Here, it starts to show in the creamy, dark, cassis-drenched fruit, with layers of black olive tapenade. The wine is dense and dark, with silky tannins and a long poised finish.