Michel & Stephane Ogier, Cote Rotie Lancement

Michel & Stephane Ogier, Cote Rotie LancementFar too young, but the character of these 2009 wines makes it hard to stop from pulling cork, even knowing how much better this is going to get with more age. Showing a good depth of color, the dark red berries, smoke, earth, leaf and green olive, along with plum and thyme aromatics just grab you. But it's the silky, lush, fat, juicy, fresh, dark red fruits that spend time on your palate that keep you there. The liqueur finish, with its bright

melon and lychee

The 2010 Pontet-Canet offers a very deep garnet color

It has much more energy on the nose

This is certainly quite ripe but there is good tension and this should amply repay extended cellaring

powerful style

a silky texture and generous acidity

the wine's sweet

An important cru

A subtle trace of wood frames dark berry fruit and touches of earth

fresh and very elegant on the palate

The medium weight flavors are not as dense as they usually are but I very much like the texture and energy they offer as well as the fine depth and persistence on the notably firm finish

violets and earth marries into seductively textured