The Ogier family was making more money growing fruit in those days! By 1987, they were bottling and selling their entire harvest. From that point forward, they never looked back! In 1998, the name of the domaine was changed to Michel & Stephane Ogier, announcing the arrival and participation of Stephane Ogier, who joined his father in the family business. Before devoting himself to the estate full-time, Stephane Ogier spent time learning about wine by working in Beaune and South Africa. In 2003, they completely renovated their cellars and added new, temperature controlled, fermentation vats.
Domaine Michel & Stephane Ogier’s Cote Rotie, like many Cote Rotie properties, is a completely family run estate. Today, Stephane Ogier is responsible for many of the domaine’s decisions to produce Ogier Cote Rotie. Today Stéphane Ogier is one of the northern Rhône Valley’s most distinguished producers who sells his best wines for up to $650 a bottle.
This charming boutique winery is now overseen by Michel’s son, Stephane Ogier, who was born in 1977. He stands as one of the youngest winemakers in Cote Rotie. Stephane began working alongside his father at the estate in 1998 and officially took the reins in 2000, following five years of studying in Beaune and completing a stint in South Africa.
While honing his skills and getting acquainted with the various plots owned by the family, Stephane focused on expanding the vineyard holdings and constructing a new cellar. He also intensified the winemaking techniques to extract more richness from the grapes. About 80% of the fruit is destemmed, and fermentation in stainless steel tanks lasts for 3-4 weeks, reaching a maximum temperature of 29 degrees Celsius. The more tannic appellations are aged in new oak barrels. In 2003, a state-of-the-art temperature-controlled cellar was installed, and the barrel storage area was expanded.
Each plot’s fruit is vinified separately, allowing for the distinct terroir of each vineyard to be identified and preserved. Shortly after taking charge, Stephane introduced new premium cuvées, and over the past decade, he has developed his own signature style, consistently crafting highly acclaimed and sought-after wines year after year.
One of the estate’s most renowned wines, the Cote-Rotie ‘Cuvee Belle Helene,’ was first introduced in 1997. This wine is sourced from the Cote-Rozier vineyard and serves as a tribute to Stephane’s mother. It is crafted entirely from 100% Syrah grapes and matures for 30 months in new oak barrels. Only 2,100 bottles are produced annually, and only in exceptional vintages. Among the other offerings are a classic Cote-Rotie, Cote-Rotie Lancement ‘Terroir de Blonde,’ and Cote-Rotie ‘les Embruns.’
Stéphane Ogier wines are imported into Canada by Domaine Selections. Contact us today!