page_title: Domaine Jean-Luc Colombo
section_title: Winemaking philosophy
hierarchical_section_title: Domaine Jean-Luc Colombo / Winemaking philosophy
caption_attribution_description: French wine from the Rhone producer Jean-Luc Colombo
context_page_description: Domaine Jean-Luc Colombo is a French wine producer and negociant in the Rhône Valley. While Colombo produces several Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée wines in the Rhône, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage, he is most noted for being a pioneer in the revitalization of the Cornas wine region. In reference to a Remington Norman quote about the need for a "media star" to bring attention to the Cornas region, The New York Times wine writer Frank Prial noted that Jean-Luc Colombo has done much to fill that need.
  The winery's founder, Jean-Luc Colombo, has become a notable wine personality due to his strong and outspoken opinions on the future of the French wine industry and on such winemaking topics as extended maceration and organic viticulture. Since opening up his Cornas-based wine-consulting firm in 1984, Colombo has worked with over 100 estates in the Rhône Valley including such notable producers as Domaine de la Janasse, Chapoutier and Château Fortia. He has also influenced many young Rhône winemakers of the late 20th and early 21st century including Jacques Grange of the Louis Roederer-owned estate Delas Frères and André Brunel of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate Les Cailloux.
context_section_description: Jean-Luc Colombo counts Bordeaux-based consultant Michel Rolland and French enologist Émile Peynaud as major influences on his views. Growing up in a family of chefs has encouraged him to put "food-friendliness" in wine pairing as an important consideration in winemaking. In 2001, Colombo openly lamented the rising competition from New World wines, particularly those from California, describing the situation as  "losing civilisation and vulgarising wine".
  Colombo is an outspoken advocate of organic viticultural practices as well as green harvesting and extended hang-time for more physiological ripeness. He also believes firming in destemming clusters prior to fermentation with the must going through an extended maceration on the skins. Colombo wines are typically aged 12–14 months in large foudres oak barrels that hold up to 120 hectoliters before spending an additional 1–3 years in standard 225-228 liter barriques of neutral oak.
  Wine writers, such as Jim Gordon, describe Colombo as an "Arch Modernizer" due to his advocacy of using modern viticulture and winemaking techniques to compete on the global wine market. With parts of the Rhône, particularly the northern regions of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, steeped in tradition, Colombo's view came across as controversial in the 1980s but slowly became accepted by a new wave of younger winemakers.
  About his reputation, Colombo has joked that he is "the most hated and loved winemaker in the Rhône.
caption: A Crozes-Hermitage AOC Syrah from Colombo, featuring the winemaker's signature on the label.
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