2018 Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Champon
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Tasting notes
Glass-staining violet color. Ripe, smoke- and spice-accented cherry and black raspberry on the powerfully scented nose, along with a suave floral nuance that builds with air. Juicy and appealingly sweet, offering deeply concentrated red and blue fruit liqueur and floral pastille flavors with hints of succulent herbs and licorice. Round, polished tannins add shape to a very long, floral-tinged finish that leaves a sappy boysenberry note and a touch of smoky bacon behind. Made with 100% whole clusters.
Critic scores
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Moving to the single parcel releases, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Le Champon comes from a cooler, east-facing terroir and has a meaty, savory, herbal, peppery style as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate. It has lots of tannins and is going to benefit from a few years of bottle age, but it’s a gorgeous Côte Rôtie.
From a lieu-dit situated above/behind the quarry, the 2018 Cote Rotie le Champon is another wine that's more red-fruited and herbal, with notes of violets and raspberries on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, silky, fine and elegant, it looks to be on an early-maturing trajectory.
Expansive aromas of cherry and blueberry liqueur, incense, exotic spices and olive, plus a bright mineral overtone emerging in the glass. Youthful, palate-staining black and blue fruit flavors show excellent depth, and a core of juicy acidity adds lift and back-end cut. Finishes long and smoky, with building floral and exotic nuances, youthful tannic grip and a reverberating mineral flourish. Ogier told me that this is “always the last vineyard to be picked." 20% whole clusters.