MIPTC #29 - Stephane Ogier Le Temps est Venu 2021

Oof. What a week it's been, y'all. Seriously, I'm spent.

From Monday to this morning, the good folks of Novartis met all together in a week-long conference that allowed us to do one thing we hadn't done in a while (or ever if you're talking to COVID hires such as myself): we were able to spend time physically together. It was great, if maybe a little overwhelming (if you ever heard that pharma events were a little over the top, you heard right). I'm really glad I went, but also that it is over if I am being 100% honest. These old bones aren't meant for such constant action anymore!

Now, besides my urge to poke people to see whether they were really 3D and/or seeing if anybody could be caught on mute in person (turns out it's pretty rare), I also had a great time chatting wine with the surprisingly large portion of Novartians who read this newsletter. I see you now, you fellow wine lovers!

Since I am a fair bit tired and the weather has dropped another foot of snow of our poor and weary Canadian (read: moose) heads, there was only one thing I craved when I opened the cellar last night: a hearthy and warming bottle of C?te-du-Rh?ne.

Despite not being C?tes du Rh?ne is one of France’s oldest and largest winemaking regions. The Greeks and the Romans originally planted vines here in approximately 125 BC. C?tes du Rh?ne means “the hillsides of the Rh?ne [River]” and it is the entry-level appellation for the Rh?ne as a whole. It produces over 40 million gallons of wine. That’s a lot of wine, but there are lots of good values to be found if you look for quality-conscious producers.?

I'm still puzzled by how C?te-du-Rh?ne is little known by the greater public. In my book, it has earned a seat right next to Bordeaux and Bourgogne on the pantheon of fine French wines. Located in the southeast of France, and it's known for producing some of the most delicious and complex wines in the world, and since 125 BC at that! The region gets its name from the Rh?ne River (it literraly means "the hillsides of the Rh?ne [River]", which runs through it and (used to, thanks to global warming) provide the perfect climate for growing its key varietals).

The wines of C?te-du-Rh?ne come in a variety of styles and flavors, from the bold and spicy reds to the crisp and refreshing whites. The staple varietal of the region is Syrah, which is used to make some of the most iconic red wines of the region. There's also a lot of other good stuff there, such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Viognier (a white varietal that is traditionally blended with heavy reds to lighten them up a bit - a rather unique practice). For what it's worth, this is a heavy blending region, and winemakers are allowed to pick from any of the 21 varietals permitted by their respective appelations.

Speaking of appelations, C?tes du Rh?ne is the entry point and the base of the region’s quality pyramid, but this tier is further subdivided into a couple of levels. It's also very producer-dependent. First you have standard and villages bottlings, which are the most common (and typically cheapest). You then move on to specific crus, most of which have their own appellations. The most revered ones are Chateau-neuf-du-Pape, C?te-Rotie and Hermitage, and these can easily fetch in the 1000$+ a pop.

The good thing is that standard bottlings often present great value, as this one did today. It is therefore an interesting alternative to the usual stuff of those who like stronger, more austere wine styles.

So yeah, let's get drinking, shall we?

The Skinny

• From: C?te-du-Rh?ne, France
• Varietals: Grenache?60?%, Syrah?40?%
• Price: $24,40 CAD
• Feature: None

Tasting Notes

On the nose, this is fresher than what I would normally expect from an entry-level CdR, as these tend to be tannic monsters. Lots of raspberry, crushed dried flowers (think pot pourri, but not in a cloying way), smoked meat and black pepper - which a tell-tale note of Syrah. This is complex stuff that is still inviting and lively. The only downside is a pretty noticeable phenolic note that made me a tad nervous.

On the palate, this is dense, fleshy and weighty. Perfect campfire kind of wine. The red fruit core is more dominant here, and the rather vibrant acidity that lifts it up is a very welcome surprise. Tannins are not too forward but remain sufficient to hold things together. As the nose indicated, there is a bit of an alcoholic burn, which is not that surprising since this clocked in at 14.5% ABV.

Cutting To The Chase: Does It Please The Cork?

I already said I disliked strong alcohol in wine. Though I love, love C?te-du-Rh?ne, this tends to be the reason why they are not that often in my rosters: it takes a special craving for me to tolerate the burn.

In this case, however, it really wasn't too bad, and the lively fruit and heart-warming nature of the wine made it a net-positive experience despite the slight hit I got from its boozy nature. This might be even more in your wheelhouse than in mine, and it is for sure very well done. A solid 3* therefore seems warranted.

Cork Score: 3/5*

***

*Here's the lowdown on the scores, by the way. Essentially, I don't believe in 100-point scales for things as subjective as wine. Simply put, I just don't think one can credibly justify a 1% or even a 10% increment between two wines. I therefore choose to go a bit more basic. Here's how I break it down:

• 1/5: Seriously faulty, terrible, undrinkable;
• 2/5: Flawed and/or of bad quality. This is the type of stuff you should probably cook with and not drink;
• 3/5: Decent. This is where most entries will end up. These wines are clean and well-balanced, but not particularly memorable and/or exceptional. They are recommendable, but not an experience per se;
• 4/5: Exceptional. I sadly drink few wines that get this rating, but my purpose is to drink more. This denotes a memorable bottle that brought up some kind of emotion in me. This left a mark, and odds are I am now busy recommending it to everybody I know;
• 5/5: Perfect. I think I have probably tasted less than 5 bottles that would have qualified for a 5/5 in my entire life. This denotes an absolutely incredible wine that will imprint a definite memory for years to come - a true experience in itself.