Jean-Luc Colombo is a man of passions. At a very young age he inherited a taste for culinary pleasures from his mother, who was a chef in Marseille. His passion for food and a desire to discover the magic of food and wine pairings inspired him to study oenology. In 1984, he set up the "Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône" in Cornas with his wife Anne and offers a technical consultancy service to wine growers in the Rhône Valley and Provence. At their own vineyard, Jean-Luc and Anne are passionate about respecting the environment and the authenticity of the terroir they cultivate. They refuse to use pesticides and herbicides on the vines, they have a horse to plough the soil, and have planted indigenous plant species around their plots to encourage biodiversity and act as a windbreak. They do not irrigate their land, forcing the vines to root deeply and to “suffer” to draw the best from the soil. In 2012 they applied for organic certification.

This is the Colombo family's first vineyard, and it was named "Les Ruchets" in honour of the bee colonies that coexist with the local vineyards. Their produce is sold as "Collines de Cornas" honey, and to help protect these insects all around the planet, Jean-Luc Colombo has set up a programme to raise funds for several associations. These old Syrah vines, growing in granitic soil, produce a wine that will undergo two years' élevage. It delivers aromas of black berries, violets and mild spices. This is a powerful, complex wine which will pair exquisitely with a duck breast.