2018 Stephane Ogier Mon Village Cote Rotie Rhone Valley 750 ml

Few names from the Rhône generate as much excitement around the world—and around our tasting table—as Stéphane Ogier. His Côte-Rôties routinely sell for $300+ and grace tables at MICHELIN-starred restaurants. 

The 2018 Mon Village Cote Rotie is the perfect representation of Ogier’s celebrated style. He accesses the region’s depth of flavor and structure, but does so with a distinct and alluring elegance—a wholly satisfying bottle that we couldn’t let our members go without.

Jeb Dunnuck called the estate “one of the most exciting domaines in the world of wine today,” and loves this “brilliant” 2018 because “its tannins are beautifully polished” and it “has wonderful purity of fruit.” “Best of all, it’s fun to drink,” says Wine Advocate. 

This 100% Syrah is downright thrilling, so complex that it grabs a corner of your mind and won’t let go. It opens with aromas of black raspberry, spiced plum, pepper, and violet flowers, deepening into incense, wild sage, and cured meat. The palate is exuberant and expansive, and an hour-long decant reveals notes of spice, tea leaf, and wild herbs. 

The 2018 features select plots from both the Côte Blonde and Côte Brune, inheriting the best of both sites—elegance and silkiness from the Côte Blonde’s schist soils, perfectly balanced by dark-fruit strength from the Côte Brune’s granite and mica. 

Influenced by his training in Burgundy, Stéphane’s Syrah is more refined and graceful than some of his Côte Rôtie neighbors, a style that has earned him a floor-to-ceiling list of critical praises since he joined the family estate in 1997, including multiple 100-point scores. 

All in all, this is a superb release from one of the region’s best winemakers.