Jean-Luc Colombo

Jean-Luc Colombo, founder of the Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône, started to acquire his vineyards in Cornas in 1987. A controversial figure, he also works as a consultant to a fair proportion of other producers and is perhaps well described as the Rhône's answer to Michel Rolland, the "flying winemaker" from Bordeaux.

Jean-Luc is very much a "hands-on" producer and believes in complete destemming, malolactic fermentation in cask, new oak and high attention towards impeccable cellar conditions. He also favours organic viticulture and less filtration before bottling. His theories, and his manner of putting them forward, have often been heavily criticised by his competitors, but his wines speak for themselves - full, deep and rich. His wines from the vineyard sites of Les Ruchets and Les Terres Brûlées are invariably excellent.