Mes Grands Lieux
« Deeply in love with the steep terraces of Côte-Rôtie, I have been captivated by these landscapes since I was a child. These places that shaped my youth have always fascinated me—I walk them tirelessly each day; they are my foundation, my ideal, my imagination.
I wanted to capture the soul of this terroir in a unique cuvée, born from a blend of my finest lieux-dits, and patiently aged in the cellar for ten years. »
A cuvée of lieux-dits a story of blending
Since 1997, I have shaped my vineyard around the rich mosaic of Côte-Rôtie’s terroirs—working across all soil types the appellation offers. Today, I am fortunate to cultivate over twenty lieux-dits, spread across 35 plots, each one with a voice of its own. From them, I craft wines that speak with finesse and authenticity.
Since 2012, I’ve been isolating selected lieux-dits—Fongeant, Côte-Bodin, La Viallière, But de Mont, Cognet, Bertholon, Montmain, Le Champon, Leyat, Montlis—preserving their essence in individual batches and presenting them in a wooden case.
In creating Mes Grands Lieux, I set out on a new path—choosing to blend rather than isolate, a conscious step away from the Burgundian philosophy that shaped my early training. With this cuvée, I return to the ancient Côte-Rôtie tradition of blending, in pursuit of harmony, depth, and truth.
« Mes Grands Lieux is built by the climate and carved by the land; it is a snapshot of my vineyard, captured in a single vintage from my most noble plots. »
A tailor-made vinification and ageing
Mes Grands Lieux is a combination of the domaine’s finest lieux-dits, with two-thirds hailing from the dark, structured soils of the Côte Brune and one-third from the silken slopes of the Côte Blonde. Whole-bunch fermentation plays a central role—averaging over 50%—to preserve the vibrancy and depth of each terroir.
Each parcel is vinified individually, allowing the personality of every lieu-dit to unfold; the blend is then determined after a year in the cellar.
The wine is aged in 600-liter demi-muids, vessels that embrace the power and grace of Syrah. This thoughtful approach of ageing inspired a broader transformation: since 2018, all my Côte-Rôties now rest in these larger barrels.
« Vinified and aged in demi-muids like all my plots, Mes Grands Lieux captures the essence of these slopes—it is Côte-Rôtie distilled, a pure expression of Syrah. »
The gift of time
Patience is a silent ally. This wine was meant to wait—to be shared when its voice was ready. After ten years of ageing, it offers youth of the fruit with the beginnings of graceful evolution, and still holds immense promise for years to come.
This vision echoes that of Michel Ogier, Stéphane’s father, who believed in the power of time and tradition—setting wines aside, allowing them to speak more fully as the years passed.
Mes grands lieux Vintage 2015
The 2015 vintage is a benchmark year—marked by radiant maturity and a luminous expression of terroir. A warm, dry season has yielded grapes of exceptional ripeness.
This wine draws its identity from 74% Côte Brune (mica-schist) and 26% Côte Blonde (gneiss) soils.
The blend—97% Syrah and 3% Viognier—comes from 11 lieux-dits.
Harvested between September 5th and 12th, this early picking reflects the vintage’s warmth and generosity.
Tasting notes
The nose starts with rich aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry, layered with violet and delicate spices. The palate is broad, velvety, and harmonious, wrapped in silky tannins. A perfect balance of power and freshness leads to a long, elegant finish.