Domaine Stéphane Ogier 'Le Temps est Venu Blanc' Côtes du Rhône, Rhône Valley, France 2024

Stéphane Ogier 'Le Temps est Venu' Blanc, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône Valley, France 2024

The Ogier family has been rooted in the village of Ampuis — heart of the Côte-Rôtie appellation — for seven generations. Until 1982, their fruit was sold to négociants including Chapoutier and Guigal; Michel Ogier began bottling under the family name in 1983. His son Stéphane joined the estate in 1997 following oenological studies in Beaune, and took full control in 2003. The Burgundian formation left a lasting mark — Stéphane's approach to Côte-Rôtie prizes elegance, terroir transparency, and individual lieu-dit expression over power or extraction. In 2014 he completed construction of a state-of-the-art winery in Ampuis, capable of vinifying up to fifteen separate cuvées; the estate was formally renamed Domaine Stéphane Ogier in 2015. In recent years Stéphane has expanded significantly into the Southern Rhône, acquiring parcels near Cairanne, Rasteau, and the Plan de Dieu, bringing his southern holdings to some 50 hectares. 'Le Temps est Venu' is his Côtes du Rhône blanc — a multi-cépage blend drawn from these southern parcels, vinified with the same precision applied to his flagship Côte-Rôtie range.

• Winemaker: Stéphane Ogier
• Farming: Sustainable. Parcels in Visan and Violès, Vaucluse, between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. Approximately 20-year-old vines. Hand harvested.
• Variety: Grenache Blanc 60%, Roussanne 20%, Marsanne 5%, Viognier 5%, Bourboulenc 5%, Clairette 5%
• Terroir: Côtes du Rhône AOC, Southern Rhône, France. Sourced from parcels around Visan and Violès in the Vaucluse, at moderate elevation on white clay and sandy soils. The altitude and soil type retain freshness in a region otherwise characterized by Mediterranean heat, giving the wine its unexpected vivacity and clean aromatic focus. The diversity of varieties — spanning six of the Southern Rhône's classic white grapes — delivers both aromatic complexity and structural layering.
• Vinification: Whole-cluster pressing. Indigenous yeast fermentation in temperature-controlled concrete tanks. No malolactic fermentation — preserving natural acidity and freshness.
• Aging: 10 months on lees in concrete tank. No oak contact.
• Tasting Notes: Pale gold. Ripe citrus, tangerine, white flowers, blanched almond, and a whisper of honeydew on the nose — clean, pure, and expressive. The palate is round yet energetic, with creamy texture balanced by lively acidity, a stony mineral streak, and a long, bitter-lemon finish. Elegant and refreshing.
• Food Pairings: Grilled sea bass, herb-roasted chicken, fish en papillote, salads with aged goat cheese, and Mediterranean vegetables.