Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Les Ruchets 2016

Cellar for up to 9 years. Decant 2 hours before serving

It was the 1987 vintage of Les Ruchets that launched Jean-Luc Colombo’s career a superstar enologist of the Rhône Valley. Attracted by the untapped potential of Cornas, Jean-Luc moved to there with his wife to start a pharmacy and oenology lab back in 1983 and purchased his first vineyard in 1986. Since then he’s consulted for dozens of top estates, helping to craft inspired expressions of the region’s unique terroir, as well as creating his own showstopping wines which rank among the Rhône Valley’s finest.

This majestic example of Cornas offers sumptuous aromas of blackcurrant, violets, cracked black pepper, leather and warming spices, while the palate is characterised by blackberries, Mediterranean herbs and hints of dark cherry cheesecake. To elevate the savoury, earthy character, try pairing with roasted duck or hare.

The name of this wine, “Les Ruchets” or “The Beehive”, honours the first vineyard Jean-Luc purchased where the Syrah grapes for this wine are sourced. This unique parcel in the centre of Cornas harbours 90 year old vines planted on granitic soils. Such is the quality of the grapes produced by this vineyard that Jean-Luc selected this site for his signature wine. After harvesting and vinification, the Les Ruchets is aged in new oak barrels for two years to enhance and clarify its terroir-focused personality. The resulting wine is incredibly elegant with a firm structure and potential for great longevity. While it is surprisingly accessible now, Les Ruchets is an excellent candidate for cellaring up until at least 2028.