Aromatics of violet, red fruits, blueberry, leather and earth, coriander and bay leaf can be found in this wine. This is juicy with sweet ripe fruits, especially lots of red berry (raspberry, cherry) and cassis mixed with licorice and smoky and savory complexities. It is medium weight, clean and supple, with bright acidity. Perfect wine for all seasons!

WINE INFORMATION

A devotee of the Syrah grape and armed with a pharmacy degree, Jean-Luc and his wife, Anne, opened their wine laboratory in 1984, “Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône” and quickly developed a thriving reputation as a wine consultant throughout France. For their significant life-long contributions to their country, both Jean-Luc and Anne have been awarded the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest civilian award.

Jean-Luc Colombo’s dream of becoming a winemaker and viticulturist came to fruition in the early 1980’s with the acquisition of his first vineyard, a granite hillside planted with old Syrah vines overlooking the village of Cornas. From there, the first vintage of Cornas “Les Ruchets” (in 1987) was born, which became the flagship cuvée of the domain. With long strides, their estate has grown in the Northern Rhône and in Provence.

Jean-Luc, Anne and their daughter Laure, now head winemaker, continue to ensure the production of fine wines of typicity from major appellations of the Rhône Valley, as well as the Languedoc and Provence, while maintaining sustainable farming practices.

“Les Abeilles” (The Bees) is named for the bees that inhabit the vineyards in the southern Rhône Valley where this Côtes du Rhône is produced. The bees thrive in these vineyards because no harsh pesticides are used. For every consumer purchase of Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles Côte du Rhône Rouge or Blanc a donation is made to the UC Davis Department of Entomology in support of their research to help restore healthy honey bee colonies.

The grapes are grown on 25-year-old vines and harvested manually, then de-stemmed, lightly crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine is refined for ten months before bottling in stainless steel tanks.

Charcuterie, Cheese, Chicken/Turkey, Duck, Grilled preparations, Ham, Lamb, Mushrooms, Pizza, Pork, Red Meat, Roasted Root Vegetables, Tomato Sauce