B-21 Top Recommendation
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Described by Jeb Dunnuck as “unquestionably one of the top handful of domains in the Rhone Valley,” superstar 100 pt. Rhone winemaker Stephane Ogier hits the mark with the lush 92 pt. 2020 Stephane Ogier Le Temps est Venu Rouge, a delicious Cotes du Rhone expertly balancing silky spiced fruit hinting of garrigue with focused bright acidity and an incredible value crafted by one of the Rhone’s hottest winemakers at a fraction of the price of his collectible Cote Roties.
Coming from seven generations of growers selling to Rhone heavy hitters including Guigal and Chapoutier, Stephane Ogier began working alongside his father Michel in 1997 before taking the reigns of his family’s winery in 2003, crafting refined and hedonistic Northern Rhone Syrahs that have become cult favorites over the last two decades and more recently gaining acclaim for his expertly balanced Cotes du Rhone blends. Composed of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, Stephane sourced the grapes for the 2020 Le Temps est Venu Rouge from the Plan de Dieu and Visan communes in the Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC, the sustainably farmed vineyards planted with old vines averaging between 30 and 50 years of age and boasting the pebbly marl and clay-limestone soils found in Chateauneuf du Pape. Hand-harvesting and double sorting the grapes before fermenting the varietals separately with native yeasts, Stephane aged the fresh and vibrant 2020 Le Temps est Venu Rouge for 10 months in concrete tanks, yielding a harmonious blend of dark, peppery Syrah and juicy, ripe red Grenache with classic Southern Rhone nuances of earthy bramble and spiced pepper and a smooth, lengthy finish, summed up by the Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski as “a supple, silky wine to enjoy over the next 4-5 years”
Described as producing “a bevy of brilliant wines” by Jeb Dunnuck, the enticing 92 pt. 2020 Stephane Ogier Le Temps est Venu Rouge offers top value for fans of bold Southern Rhone reds, a satisfying and delicious CDR crafted by a masterful winemaker that’s unbeatably priced for stocking the cellar to enjoy often. | 
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