Stéphane Ogier

Stéphane Ogier represents the modern face of Northern Rhône winemaking, combining a deep family heritage with a Burgundian education. The Ogier family has been established in Ampuis for seven generations, though it was his father Michel who began vinifying and bottling in 1983, having previously sold the entire harvest to négociants including Guigal and Chapoutier. Stéphane studied viticulture and oenology in Beaune and completed stages in Burgundy and South Africa before joining Michel at the estate in 1997. He assumed full day-to-day responsibility in 2003. His Burgundian training is evident in the elegance and finesse of his wines, and his insistence on parcel-by-parcel vinification mirrors the Côte d'Or's premier cru philosophy. The Ogier estate's identity crystallized further when a new winery was completed in 2014 and the wines began selling under the Stéphane Ogier name, with the full renaming to Domaine Stéphane Ogier coming in 2015.

• Seven generations of the Ogier family rooted in Ampuis; Michel Ogier began estate bottling in 1983
• Stéphane studied oenology and viticulture in Beaune, then trained in Burgundy and South Africa before joining the estate in 1997
• Fully in charge since 2003; championed single-parcel vinification and steady vineyard expansion
• New winery completed in 2014; estate formally renamed Domaine Stéphane Ogier in 2015

Ogier's philosophy is built on obsessive terroir expression and minimal cellar intervention. He farms approximately 45 hectares in total, with around 8 hectares in Côte-Rôtie itself, spread across tiny parcels on the Côte Blonde, Côte Brune, and Côte Rozier. The slopes are so steep that all work is done by hand or with a horse-drawn plough, and he employs a stonemason to maintain the traditional retaining walls. Beyond Côte-Rôtie, his holdings span Condrieu (first vintage 2007), Saint-Joseph, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes around Seyssuel, and Côtes-du-Rhône vineyards near Cairanne and Plan de Dieu. Each parcel is vinified separately in the state-of-the-art cellar, using stainless steel tanks averaging 20 to 30 hectoliters to match the small lot sizes. Fermentation approaches vary by terroir and vintage, with some whole-bunch, some destemmed, and aging in a mix of new and used oak, or concrete. In recent years he has moved away from new oak in his Côte-Rôtie reds while increasing whole-bunch use.

• Approximately 8 hectares in Côte-Rôtie across Côte Blonde, Côte Brune, and Côte Rozier lieux-dits, all hand-harvested or worked with horse
• New winery houses stainless steel vats averaging 20 to 30 hectoliters, enabling separate vinification of up to fifteen different parcels
• Winemaking adapted by terroir and vintage: partial or full whole-bunch, varying levels of new oak, concrete for some cuvées
• Expanded holdings in Seyssuel (IGP Collines Rhodaniennes), Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, and Southern Rhône villages Cairanne and Plan de Dieu

Ogier has organized his portfolio in a Burgundy-inspired hierarchy of Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and Village expressions. The two Grand Cru flagships are Belle Hélène and Lancement. Belle Hélène debuted with the 1995 vintage and is sourced from 0.5 hectares of old-vine Syrah on Côte Rozier, adjacent to Guigal's La Landonne, producing just 150 to 200 cases annually. Lancement, first made in 2004, draws on old-vine Syrah from the Côte Blonde and is now aged without new oak. The Réserve du Domaine acts as Premier Cru level, blending multiple lieux-dits. Mon Village is the Village-level entry point, a blend of 97 percent Syrah and 3 percent Viognier from six plots, first made in the 2010 vintage. The estate also releases a selection of individual lieu-dit bottlings, including Champon, Bertholon, and Cote Bodin, introduced from the 2012 vintage onward. Beyond Côte-Rôtie, Ogier produces Condrieu from Viognier, Saint-Joseph Le Passage, the Seyssuel-based IGP L'Ame Soeur, La Rosine (IGP Collines Rhodaniennes), and the Côtes-du-Rhône Le Temps Est Venu.

• Belle Hélène: 100% Syrah from 0.5 ha of old vines on Côte Rozier; debut vintage 1995; named for Michel Ogier's wife; 150 to 200 cases annually
• Lancement: Old-vine Syrah from Côte Blonde lieu-dit; first produced 2004; now aged without new oak for approximately 20 months
• Réserve du Domaine: Premier Cru blend from multiple lieux-dits on both Côte Brune and Côte Blonde
• Mon Village: Village-level blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier from six vineyards; debut vintage 2010; vinified in stainless steel with mostly used oak
• Lieu-dit series (Champon, Bertholon, Cote Bodin, and others) released from 2012; L'Ame Soeur from Seyssuel; Condrieu from 2007

Stéphane Ogier's ascent to the top tier of Rhône producers has been confirmed by sustained critical acclaim. His most celebrated achievement came with the 2015 vintage, in which Jeb Dunnuck awarded 100 points to both Belle Hélène and Lancement, making Ogier one of only a handful of producers to score multiple perfects in Côte-Rôtie in a single vintage. Belle Hélène received another 100-point score for the 2018 vintage. Jancis Robinson MW has called him a 'northern Rhône wunderkind,' and Jeb Dunnuck described the domaine as 'one of the most exciting domaines in the world of wine today.' Wine Advocate has called his wines 'worth the search.' His wines are routinely placed on allocation lists at top retailers and feature prominently at Michelin-starred restaurants. Total production has grown from roughly 15,000 to approximately 300,000 bottles over two decades, yet quality and critical scores have remained consistently high.

• 2015 Belle Hélène and 2015 Lancement both received 100 points from Jeb Dunnuck, among the highest scores ever awarded in Côte-Rôtie
• 2018 Belle Hélène also received 100 points from Jeb Dunnuck
• Jancis Robinson MW: 'northern Rhône wunderkind'; Jeb Dunnuck: 'one of the most exciting domaines in the world of wine today'
• Consistently earns 93 to 99 point scores across the full range from Wine Advocate and James Suckling
• Production grew from roughly 15,000 to approximately 300,000 bottles over two decades; wines remain allocation-only at many retailers

Ogier's Côte-Rôtie expresses the elegant, aromatic profile for which the northern Rhône is prized. His reds show black cherry, violet, white pepper, and graphite minerality, with the refined tannins and fresh acidity characteristic of his Burgundian approach. Belle Hélène, from the iron-rich schist and gneiss soils of Côte Rozier, tends toward darker, more powerful expressions with blueberry, kirsch, licorice, and smoky mineral depth. Lancement, from the granite-rich Côte Blonde, leans more floral and aromatic, with a delicate, linear structure. His Condrieu showcases the aromatic purity of Viognier: apricot blossom, white peach, honeysuckle, and saline minerality. Late harvesting ensures phenolic ripeness while fresh acidity keeps the wines from heaviness. Top red cuvées are structured for two to three decades of cellaring; Condrieu is best enjoyed within three to five years of vintage.

• Côte-Rôtie: Black cherry, violet, white pepper, graphite, garrigue; refined tannins; 15 to 25-plus years aging potential for top cuvées
• Belle Hélène: Darker profile with blueberry, kirsch, licorice, smoked mineral; from iron-rich Côte Rozier schist soils
• Lancement: More floral and aromatic; violet, fine mineral structure; from lighter granite-dominated Côte Blonde soils
• Condrieu: Apricot blossom, white peach, honeysuckle, saline minerality; drink within 3 to 5 years

Ogier's Côte-Rôtie reds reward thoughtful food matching that honors their mineral precision and aromatic complexity. The structure and depth of Belle Hélène and Lancement call for rich preparations with some gaminess or earthiness. Serve reds at 14 to 15 degrees Celsius with 30 to 45 minutes decanting to open up mid-palate complexity. His Mon Village is more approachable young and suits simpler preparations. Condrieu, with its heady apricot and floral character, pairs beautifully with rich fish preparations, foie gras, and delicate poultry, and should be served cool at 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. His lighter IGP and Côtes-du-Rhône cuvées are highly versatile table wines.

• Côte-Rôtie: Duck breast, roasted lamb with Provençal herbs, wild mushroom dishes, aged Comté or Beaufort
• Belle Hélène and Lancement: Best with game birds, venison, braised short rib, or earthy truffle preparations
• Condrieu: Foie gras, pan-seared scallops, white fish with beurre blanc, delicate poultry
• Serve reds at 14 to 15 degrees Celsius with 30 to 45 minutes decanting; Condrieu at 10 to 12 degrees Celsius