2006 Cote Rotie

An outstanding effort, the slightly herbal 2006 Cote Rotie exhibits sweet licorice and charcoal-infused black cherry and black currant fruit, a pure, medium to full-bodied, attractively rich, long, heady style, and the ability to age for 12-15 years. The Ogier family is a fabulous success story in the northern Rhone. As I have frequently written over the last 30 years, a family of vignerons selling their entire production to negociants, gradually begins to estate bottle, first the father, Michel, and more recently the ambitious and talented son, Stephane. The results are extraordinary wines that thrill consumers. The Ogiers have taken a strong position in Syrah vineyards planted on the hillside terraces outside the old Roman city of Vienne, a few miles north of Cote Rotie. The have two totally different terroirs, La Rosine, which is Syrah planted on granite, and l’Ame Soeur, Syrah planted on schist. Both are very fine, value-priced offerings that offer a faithful introduction into the Ogier winemaking philosophy as well as to northern Rhone Syrah. The 2007 vintage was largely damaged by hail in Cote Rotie, but much of the crop was saved by three weeks of the gusty northern winds known as the Mistral in the south that occurred in September, following horrible weather in August. The vintage turned out to be far better than expected. At the time of my visit to Ogier they were leaning toward not making a Lancement in 2007 because of hail damage. They were strongly considering declassifying that wine and blending it with the Cote Rotie. The most limited production offering is named after Michel Ogier’s charming wife, Helene. It comes closest in style to Guigal’s single vineyard Cote Rotie La Turque. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

Saturated red. Intensely perfumed, complex bouquet of spicy red berries, incense, minerals and dried violet. Sweet red and dark berry flavors stain the palate, energized by dusty minerals. A hint of bitter cherry pit adds grip to the sappy, impressively long finish.

Cask sample Already noticeably perfumed. Savoury coffee and dark fruit, all embryonic. Quite dense but already silky. Lovely, long, fine. (JH)