Stéphane Ogier's "La Rosine" Syrah is more Côte-Rôtie than humble IGP. But then, Côte-Rôtie is where both his cellar and numerous, tiny vineyard parcels are based. Stéphane is an accomplished winemaker and has unsurprisingly made a wine which is fine, complex, long and savoury.
Wine Spectator described Stéphane Ogier’s wines as "dynamic and elite", while Wine Advocate wrote "the estate is unquestionably in the top handful of domaines in the Rhône Valley". Stéphane took over from his father, Michel, in the late 1990s. Michel used to grow such high-quality grapes that, until 1980, he'd sell all of them to renowned Guigal and Chapoutier.
Stéphane inherited both the 2.5 hectares of vines and his father's passion for quality. He increased the vineyards (he owns 10 hectares in Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Saint Joseph) and built himself a modern cellar. Terroir is his raison d’être. Parcels of granite-grown Syrah, aged for a year in French oak, ensures a very fine, elegant wine.
Serve this with lamb or aubergine bake.
The Rhône Valley has been a hub of wine culture since ancient times. Viticulture arrived with the Greeks in the 4th century BC. But it was the Romans who really established the vineyards and reputation of the area using the Rhône as their highway through France.
The region's wines are known for their richness, depth, and complexity, and their ability to age beautifully. They many illustrious villages including Chateauneuf du Pape and Côte-Rôtie.
A red grape variety that is widely planted around the world, particularly in southern France, South Africa and Australia. Typically wines are full-bodied and deeply coloured.
Generally called Syrah in the old world, or Shiraz in the new. It produces wines which are typically high in tannins and acidity, and can exhibit a range of flavors and aromas, including blackberry, black pepper, smoke, and leather.
It was in 1997 that Stéphane Ogier joined the family estate, which for seven generations graced the hillsides of Ampuis. Taking over from his father Michel, he chose to work with precision on the various terroirs to reveal the unique character of each place.
Experience in Burgundy taught Stéphane to retain elegance and finesse, a characteristic of his wines.
