2015 Collines Rhodaniennes, La Rosine Syrah, Stéphane Ogier, Rhône
Critics reviews
Joe Czerwinski - 29/12/2017
About this WINE
Domaine Stephane Ogier
The Ogier family had been established growers in Ampuis for over seven generations, but it was only in the 1980s that they began vinifying their own grapes. Stéphane joined the family estate in ’97, working alongside his father Michel, before taking over in 2003.
Heralded as the face of the Northern Rhône’s new generation, Stéphane continues acquiring new parcels and trying new techniques. He brings a Burgundian approach to the region’s terroir from his studies in Beaune. He works with multiple lieux-dits, vinifying each separately and using oak sparingly. This allows the characteristics of each to show. He releases many wines as single lieu-dit bottlings later in the year and others he blends, selecting from different barrels to build a style representative of both his vision and the vintage. Stéphane’s latest investment includes vineyards in Rasteau, Cairanne, and Plan de Dieu in the Southern Rhône, bringing his total land-ownings there up to 50 hectares, all destined for his Côtes-du-Rhône offering.
VdP des Comtes Rhodaniens
Vin de Pays des Comtés Rhodaniens is a Vin de Pays French wine appellation that encompasses vineyard area in the Rhône-Alpes region and wines from mainly Viognier, Syrah and Grenache grapes but also from Pinot Noir and Gamay as the appellations spans further to include portions of Beaujolais, Savoie and Jura.
Within the broad regional Vin de Pays appellation of Comtés Rhodaniens there are further wine classifications for specified areas including :
- Vin de Pays du Comté de Grignan
- Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l’Ardèche
- Vin de Pays des Coteaux de Baronnies
- Vin de Pays des Coteaux de Montélimar
- Vin de Pays des Gaules
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
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Description
Perennial Berry Bros. & Rudd favourite, for staff and customers alike, La Rosine is sourced from vines just to the south of the appellation, including some on the plateau above. Decomposed granite, high planting densities and careful winery treatment, where pumping over is eschewed in favour of a more gentle cap management: all these factors contribute to the silky, charming ensemble presented in the glass; its ripe and generous fruit held in check by an authoritative, gently spicy finish. Drink now to 2021.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
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