Domaine Michel et Stéphane Ogier

Domaine Michel et Stéphane Ogier holds a prominent position in the town of Ampuis in Côte-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône. They are one of the largest estates in the region. Stéphane Ogier has 45 hectares of vines and uses three modern, well-equipped cellars to make his impressive range of wines. Vines have been in the Ogier family for several generations, however it was Stéphane’s father who changed the direction of the family's land from crop fruits and vegetables to grapes, initially selling to names like Chapoutier and Guigal before bottling themselves. Stéphane took over following the completion of his studies in Beaune in 1997, and his Burgundian education is reflected in the elegance of his wines. The steep slopes of the Côte-Rôtie demand painstaking work by hand and in recent years he has stepped away from any new oak in his reds, whilst increasing the use of whole bunch fruit. Best known for his top Côte-Rôtie cuvées, which include Belle Hélène and La Côte Blonde, Stéphane also makes a brilliant value Côtes du Rhône, Le Temps Est Venu, from Grenache vines near Cairanne, and La Rosine - his Vin de Pays label from vineyards near Ampuis which include an impressive Viognier and a floral Syrah.