Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône 'Le Vent Rouge' 2017

If you're considering a career winemaking, as with many things in life, there are many ways to skin a cat. But a good place to start is in the lab - as it gives you a thorough understanding of the nuts and bolts of the liquid itself - and this is just what Jean-Luc Colombo did.

But the lab wasn't enough for Jean-Luc, who now roams freely around his vineyard instead, making beautiful, affordable wines like Le Vent Rouge, which has appealing redcurrant and bay leaf aromas and a fresh 'n' silky palate.

Jean-Luc Colombo is a relatively young company by French wine standards. In 1982 the family moved to Cornas, in the heart of the Rhône Valley and purchased the first vineyard in 1986. Today, as well as owning vineyards in Cornas, they are pioneering vineyard development in the stunning blue coast area in Provence and have their own winery, bottling line and oenology laboratory in the centre of Cornas.

Their philosophy is classic: it is about respecting the fruit, with vinification and elevage (post-vinification) that aims to exalt elegance and complexity, with good fruit and freshness and balanced minerality, alcohol and tannins.

Jean-Luc Colombo’ provide exceptional quality for everyday Rhône drinking. Jean-Luc originally ran his own pharmacy and oenology laboratory before deciding to produce his own wines. Husband, father and winemaker, he is a charismatic figurehead with the affectionate nickname of ‘the winemaking wizard of the Rhône valley’.

The grape bunches are de-stemmed, lightly crushed and then vinified in stainless steel vats. The final product is bottled after being aged for nine months.

The nose has appealing redcurrant and bay leaf aromas, while the palate is fresh and silky, with well-rounded tannins and a lengthy finish.