2015 Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie La Côte-Blonde 750 ml

There are two reasons why we’re sending today’s offer to such a small group of Wine Access members. First, because we hand-picked the members who have shown the highest appreciation for the very finest red wines in the world. Second, because today’s three spectacular Rhône wines—world-class producer Stéphane Ogier’s 100-point 2015 Côte-Rôtie Lancement, the 97-point Côte-Rôtie La Côte-Blonde, and the 100-point Côte-Rôtie La Belle Hélène—make up one of the smallest allocations we’ve ever been granted (so small we could carry it up the stairs in one trip). 

Tiny quantity, but off-the-charts quality: The wines of Stéphane Ogier stand as some of the purest expressions not just of Côte-Rôtie, but of anywhere in the world—they are like Grand Cru Burgundy off of the craggy, vertiginous vineyards above the Rhône, and the payoff comes in some of the most precise, peppery, concentrated, and age-worthy Syrah on the planet. 

Consider that in 2015, one of the greatest Northern Rhône vintages of all time, just three Côte-Rôties earned perfect 100-point scores from Jeb Dunnuck. Two are by Stéphane Ogier. 

Dunnuck advises lovers of “the most profound Côte Rôties” to “get on this estate’s bandwagon.” As if it were that easy. There exist only four barrels (100 cases) of today’s Lancement bottling in the universe. So while Wine Advocate says an Ogier wine is “worth the search,” we say don’t bother. We’ve done the searching for you. All you have to do is add these three cellar showpieces to your collection, knowing they come directly from the estate, with perfect provenance.

In the ‘70s and into the ‘80s, winegrower Michel Ogier’s pristine, hand-picked fruit largely ended up in the bottlings of two of the greatest producers in the Northern Rhône: M. Chapoutier and E. Guigal. But in the early '80s, after fully appreciating the outstanding quality of his crops, Ogier began producing his own tiny cuvées.

In 1998, after graduating from the enology school in Beaune, Michel’s son Stéphane joined his father, and today he farms 27 acres in some of the most revered vineyards of the Northern Rhône, then applies his impeccable Burgundy-trained touch to his Syrahs. 

Stéphane’s 2015 Lancement comes off of 40-year-old vines on one of the most famous lieux-dits of the Côte-Blonde. Its opaque ruby hue leads into a dark berry compote nose, with licorice, spice, and tons of minerals. It has softening New World touches (it’s completely destemmed and raised in all new oak), and Dunnuck calls it a “full-bodied, seamless, straight up awesome Côte Rôtie” with a “grand, majestic personality.” This will shine in your cellar for the next quarter-century plus

The youngest addition to the lineup—2015 is the first vintage of this wine sourced from nine-year-old vines—the 97-point La Côte-Blonde is “another gorgeous wine from this young superstar winemaker,” according to Dunnuck. We absolutely love how the co-fermented Viognier (5%) adds a beautiful floral lift to the bold Syrah, which is also tempered by a streak of minerals and crushed rocks. Silky even without the benefit of age, this is certainly one of the best Côte-Blonde blends in the modern era. Aerate for an hour in a decanter or glass before enjoying in the near future, or cellar it for two decades. 

Also a 100-point Dunnuck wine, La Belle Hélène has pronounced blueberry and kirsh aromas, accented by licorice, violet, and allspice. Sourced from the oldest vines of the trio (60 years), La Belle Hélène comes from Côte-Rozier in the north of the appellation, and is fermented 50% whole cluster before spending 20 months in French oak. The result is exquisite, and Dunnuck says it’s “up there with the handful of greatest young Syrahs I've ever been lucky enough to taste.” 

As other wines come and go from your cellar over the next few decades, these three flawless Syrahs will shine as the absolute pinnacle of an excellent vintage in the Rhône. We’re thrilled to be the ones to bring them to you.