2009 Cote Rotie Belle Helene

The 2009 Cote Rotie La Belle Helene is another perfect wine. Made in a completely different style than the more structured, mineral-laced 2010, the 2009 is a flamboyant, exuberant effort with nearly over-the-top ripeness and fruit. However, it is extremely supple, sexy and bursting with complexity, revealing notes of truffles, graphite, black raspberries, espresso roast, spice box, tapenade and bouquet garni. The wine’s richness, full-bodied, massive fruit impact and 50-second finish are amazing. (Not yet released) Stephane Ogier, tall and blond with rugged, Brad Pitt-like good looks, is the next generation of young, ambitious, well-traveled children from family-owned estates. Learning his trade and working next to his father, who is now fully retired, Stephane Ogier has moved confidently and dramatically to expand this estate from the Cote Rotie holdings to their vineyards that go into La Rosine and those from Seyssuel that go into l’Ame Soeur. He has also added a St-Joseph cuvee from a small parcel of vines in Malleval, next to his Condrieu holdings. Moreover, readers should not forget the recent white wine offerings from Ogier. The great success for the 2011s is attributable, as Ogier says, to harvesting seven days later than just about everyone else in Cote Rotie, in addition to aggressive green harvesting and farming practices in the vineyards. This is evident across the board as these are some of the finest 2011s I tasted in the Northern Rhone. Ogier has 12 separate Cote Rotie parcels spread along the hillsides of the Cote Blonde and Cote Brune. The 2011s were harvested between September 16 and October 8, and because of Ogier’s conservative farming practices as well as the courage it took to wait to harvest until after the rains, the quality of the fruit is outstanding. The 2010s are all remarkable wines at Ogier. Stephane Ogier also deserves accolades for what he has been able to achieve with his white wine program since he began it in 2007. There are now three cuvees, all outstanding. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 239-1275

Opaque purple. Deeply pitched aromas of cherry pit, blackberry, licorice and woodsmoke. Broad, palate-coating dark fruit flavors show liqueur-like depth and power, with by slow-building minerality providing lift. Very rich but surprisingly lithe, with strong finishing thrust and harmonious tannins that add grip. This impressively powerful, well-balanced wine should age slowly.

Inky ruby. Pungent, primary aromas of black cherry, smoke and flowers. Then sappy, sweet and youthful, with impressive verve to the black fruit, violet pastille and licorice flavors. This youthfully clenched, focused wine really stains the palate. Finishes long and smoky, with a firm mineral spine and echoes of candied violet and cherry. Ogier also poured the '07 bottling and it's in a brooding state, slowly opening up to show bitter cherry, cassis and licorice qualities, with firm, gripping tannins and a smoky undertone. Hands off.