CORNAS “LES RUCHETS”

Jean-Luc Colombo

APPELLATION

Cornas AOC, Rhône Valley

GRAPE VARIETIES

100% Syrah

WINEMAKERS

Jean-Luc Colombo

TECHNICAL DATA

Alcohol
14.5%

2018

96POINTS

Wine Enthusiast

OCTOBER 2021

2018

94POINTS

Wine Spectator

JUNE 2021

Where To Buy VIEW BRAND PORTFOLIO

BACKGROUND

Innovation, passion and dedication are what drives Jean-Luc and Anne Colombo, whose contributions to Rhône Valley winemaking is unparalleled. A devotee of the Syrah grape and armed with a pharmacy degree, Jean-Luc and his wife, Anne, opened their wine laboratory in 1984, “Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône” and quickly developed a thriving reputation as a wine consultant throughout France. For their significant life-long contributions to their country, both Jean-Luc and Anne have been awarded the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest civilian award. Today, Jean-Luc Colombo’s wines express the typicity of their terroir with elegance and character, from the northern Rhône to his Provençal roses.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

The heart of the Colombo winery is based in Cornas, one of the smallest appellations in the Rhône Valley with 375 acres. Cornas, the birthplace of Syrah, has 300 million year old decomposed granite subsoils and dry-farmed vineyards, as irrigation is not permitted. Maximum yields are 34 hl/ha.
Les Ruchets (The Beehives) is Colombo’s icon wine with his first release in 1987. Les Ruchets is a single vineyard of 5.4 acres within Chaillot designation, with vines that average 90 years old, 38° slope, and a yield of 17 hl/ha. The vineyard has been certified organic by Ecocert since 2016.
The 2018 vintage shows an excellent, even exceptional quality characterized by of the levels of polyphenols and record anthocyanins which indicate the potential for obtaining colorful and tannic, age-worthy wines. The harvest period was early this year with perfectly healthy grapes. Mid-August rains lowered extreme summer temperatures; however, it also created some bursts of berries and insect attacked which required preharvest stripping. This damage was mitigated in early September by the dry, rather warm and windy weather. Les Ruchets was harvested on September 10th.

WINEMAKING

Grapes are hand-harvested and de-stemmed. Fermentation takes places in stainless steel tanks; 30-day maceration.

AGEING

The wine is aged for 22 months in oak barrels, 15% in new, 85% in one- to three-year-old oak barrels. The wine is bottled unfiltered and is vegan.

TASTING NOTES

A superb, deep black cherry color. On the nose, complex and elegant with notes of spices, violets, and black fruit and vanilla. On the palate, powerful, structured notes of black fruit, herbs, white pepper and blueberry. Delicious with game such as duck, hare, or pigeon, but also perfect with a roasted entrecote steak.