2019 Jean-Luc Colombo Chateauneuf du Pape Les Bartavelles

Jean-Luc Colombo was a pharmacist until 1987, when he purchased 20 acres in Cornas, in the Northern Rhone Valley. He worked for a while as a wine consultant before producing wine under his own label starting in 1994. As an outspoken advocate of improving the wines of the Cornas appellation by using modern winemaking techniques and organic farming, Colombo has sometimes been a a controversial figure in the region. However his own wines have won acclaim. Known for his Cornas wines, he also makes Hermitage, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and other wines. He also owns the Provence label Cote Bleue. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Colombo “one of the stars of the Cornas…He is producing some of the finest Cornas produced.”

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the appellation, is a large area of nearly 8,000 vineyard acres centered around the picturesque town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Located in southeastern France just north of the Avignon hills, the name of the appellation means “new castle of the pope” and it is a reference to the 14th century, when the Popes of Avignon built summer homes in the Southern Rhone Valley. Today the appellation is one of the most renowned in France and its terroir is known for layers of small pebbles, called “galets.” The stones in the soil are thought to help store heat and keep the soil warm, which helps ripen the grapes. The stones also help keep the soil from drying out in hot summer months. In 1923 Châteauneuf-du-Pape was a leader in establishing the idea that AOC wines in France should be made only with specified grapes, and the appellation allowed 13 grape varieties to be used. Since then the rules have been slightly modified to include several more allowable grapes. Red and white wines are produced, though in practice about 97% of all Châteauneuf –du-Papes are reds made with a blend of Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvedre, Muscardine, Syrah and Vaccarese. The red wines of this appellation are prized for being big, rich, spicy and full-bodied. White wines of the appellation are made with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul and Picardin. Whites are floral, fruity and relatively full-bodied.