2007 Cote Rotie

The 2007 Cote Rotie, an outstanding success in this vintage where this estate harvested extremely late in order to take advantage of the Indian Summer weather. The wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as scents of licorice, subtle oak, black currants, black cherries and hints of underbrush/forest floor. Spicy, opulent, voluptuous and flamboyant, it should continue to provide plenty of pleasure for a dozen years or more. One of France’s most brilliant small artisanal wineries is that of the Ogier family in Ampuis, situated about six blocks north of Guigal’s vast network of underground cellars. The value picks are the wines made from the steep hillsides north of the old Roman settlement of Vienne. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

Perfumed and fragrant, the 2007 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie shows ripe raspberry and darker fruits, pepper, spice, and a hint of gaminess that’s lifted by edgy underlying minerality. This balanced, medium bodied wine has vibrant energy and ripe tannin on the long finish. It should drink well over the next 10 years.