Domaine Stéphane Ogier : Mes Grands Lieux 2015

Tasting characteristics and advice for Mes Grands Lieux 2015 from Domaine Stéphane Ogier

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a deep carmine hue with dark highlights, reflecting its remarkable concentration.

Nose

The bouquet opens with elegant notes of fine leather, distinctive and captivating. With aeration, aromas of ripe black fruit emerge—especially blackcurrant and blackberry—alongside floral hints of violet. Nuances of sweet spices and pepper enrich the aromatic palette, while menthol notes add an extra touch of freshness.

Palate

The attack is generous, supple, and velvety. The silky texture gently coats the palate despite the wine’s underlying power. Ripe, well-integrated tannins lend the whole a refined structure, creating a sense of roundness and maturity. The balance between fruit concentration and freshness remains outstanding throughout the tasting. The exceptionally long finish lingers with persistent notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, and violet, accented by spicy and mineral touches.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with furred game such as venison, or feathered game such as pheasant. It also goes beautifully with beef bourguignon, a grilled rib steak, or a leg of lamb with prunes. Mushroom-based dishes, especially porcini, also make a harmonious match.

Serving and cellaring

Mes Grands Lieux 2015 can be enjoyed now after decanting for at least two hours. According to the estate, this wine can be cellared until around 2045.

An exceptional Côte-Rôtie, the synthesis of eleven terroirs in the Rhône Valley

The estate

For 6 generations, the Ogier family has been among the leading producers of great wines from the Rhône Valley. After studying viticulture and enology and gaining extensive experience both in Bourgogne and abroad, Stéphane Ogier joined the family estate in 1997 alongside his father, Michel Ogier. Produced in limited quantities and showcasing the purest expression of their original terroir through parcel-by-parcel vinifications, the wines of Domaine Stéphane Ogier are recognized for their finesse and elegance.

The vineyard

Mes Grands Lieux 2015 comes from a blend of eleven prestigious lieux-dits within the Côte-Rôtie appellation: Lancement (17%), Leyat (15%), Montmain (10%), La Viallière (10%), But-de-Mont (9%), Le Champon (9%), Côte Bodin (7%), Cognet (7%), Fongeant (6%), Bertholon (5%) and Côte Rozier (5%). These plots are spread between the Côte Brune (74%), with iron-rich mica-schist soils, and the Côte Blonde (26%), with granitic and gneiss terroirs. Located between 150 and 320 meters above sea level on slopes that can reach 60%, these vines benefit from exceptional microclimatic conditions. Vineyard work, carried out entirely by hand due to the extreme steepness, follows the principles of sustainable farming.

The vintage

The 2015 vintage is regarded as the vintage of the decade for the Rhône Valley. Ideal ripening conditions made it possible to obtain grapes of remarkable concentration, depth, and balance. This warm year produced powerful, round, harmonious wines, reaching optimal phenolic and sugar ripeness. This vintage coincided with the estate’s first harvest in its new facilities.

Winemaking and aging

Mes Grands Lieux 2015 was harvested by hand with rigorous sorting. Each of the eleven lieux-dits was vinified separately to preserve its identity. The vinification included 32% whole-cluster fruit, with the remainder destemmed. Fermentations were carried out with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Aging took place over 20 months in demi-muids and oak barrels. The final blend was carried out after around one year of maturation, prioritizing balance and harmony between the different components. The wine was then kept in the cellar for a decade before being released in 2025.

Grape varieties

Syrah (97%)
Viognier (3%)