Cornas Les Ruchets

Wine information: Jean-Luc Colombo is a relatively young French wine company. Jean-Luc, and his wife, Anne, moved to Cornas from Marseille in 1982 to set up a pharmacy and oenology lab. Four years later, he bought his first vineyard and celebrated his first vintage in 1987. Top quality fruit is sourced from Colombo’s own 20 hectares of vineyards in the northern Rhone (where the company have their headquarters) primarily in Cornas and St Peray, and from his 40 hectares of pioneering vineyard development in the stunning ‘Blue Coast’ area. This is truly a family business: Anne is vineyard manager and wine-maker, as is Laure, their daughter, who joined the family domaine in 2010. Laure is also the figurehead for the sister brand of Colombo & Fille. The winemaking philosophy is classic – it is about respecting the fruit, with vinification and élévage serving to define a style that should exalt elegance and complexity, with good fruit and freshness, and balanced minerality, alcohol and tannins. Located on the left bank of the Rhone River, Cornas is part of the Northern Rhône hillsides and it is where Syrah gives its greatest expression. It has the best landscape and soils for Syrah and it benefits from Mediterranean influences which bring great character to the wine. Surrounded by the esteemed appellations of the northern Rhône Valley such as Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, Cornas produces an elegant Syrah with lovely flower aromas such as lilac and iris, and the fruit bursts with flavors of black currant and licorice. Jean-Luc's finest wines are from Cornas in the Northern Rhône Valley. His collection of Cornas, Les Ruchets, La Louvée and Terres Brulées, express a balanced structure and they have an alluring elegance. They have a gorgeous nose of black fig and plum confiture with an abundance of sweet coca-scented toast.He meticulously crafts his wines and pays great attention to every step of the winemaking process from the vineyard to the glass. Jean-Luc Colombo's Cornas Les Ruchets is 100% Syrah (from very old vines, 90+ years old) sourced from vineyards with granitic soils on the steep slope sof the right bank of the Rhône. After manual harvesting the grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks after a long maceration of 30 days. The wine is then aged for 18 months, 70% in new oak and 30% in one-year-old oak barrels.

Tasting Notes: Cornas Les Ruchets has an inky black colour. The nose is complex with both floral and fruity flavors. On the palate flavours of black fruit, blackcurrants and herbs dominate, accented by a touch of vanilla. A solid, concentrated wine that will continue to evolve for at least two decades.

Food & Wine match: This wine will match perfectly with steak and most game meats.

Reviews: "Dark and chewy for now, with mesquite and roasted fig notes tumbling around with bittersweet cocoa, truffle and mulled currant notes. Stays burly through the finish, but the tannins are well-integrated for cellaring. Best from 2011 through 2017. 555 cases made." 93 Points, Wine Spectator

"Ruby-red. Deep dark berry and cherry compote on the nose, with notes of espresso and violet adding complexity. Fresher on the palate, with a sexy floral pastille quality lifting the attractive black raspberry and mulberry fruit flavors. This has gained energy since last year and is surprisingly approachable now. Still, I'd wait a few more years before pulling the cork." 90 Points, International Wine Cellar.

 
     

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