Jean-Luc Colombo 2023 Côtes-du-Rhône "Les Forots" Rouge 750ml

Jean-Luc Colombo's love of wine started at his mother's table in Marseille, where she ran a restaurant and instilled in her son the kind of appetite for the "plaisirs de la table" — the pleasures of the table — that eventually led him, pharmacy degree in hand, toward a life in enology instead. In 1984, he and his wife Anne opened the Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône, a wine laboratory that quickly built a thriving reputation consulting for producers across the Rhône Valley. From there, the Colombos began acquiring their own vineyards, first in Cornas — the tiny, granite-soiled appellation in the Northern Rhône that remains the true heart of the operation — before expanding across the broader Rhône and into the Languedoc, formally establishing Vins Jean-Luc Colombo in 1994. Their debut single-vineyard Cornas, Les Ruchets, released in 1987, put the house on the map; both Jean-Luc and Anne have since been awarded the French Legion of Honor for their contributions to French winemaking.

Les Forots is Colombo's Southern Rhône Côtes-du-Rhône bottling, a Grenache-Syrah blend whose exact proportions shift subtly from year to year depending on how each variety performed. The 2023 leans slightly Grenache-forward at 51% Grenache and 49% Syrah — a small but meaningful adjustment from the more Syrah-dominant blends of certain earlier vintages, reflecting the specific character of the 2023 growing season. The house's own description of the wine's guiding philosophy is direct: "L'Équilibre des Terroirs" — the balance of terroirs. Rhythmic and original, the style of Les Forots is born from precision, the blend of Syrah and Grenache revealing a spicy, fruity, and genuinely natural character, built specifically for pairing with wood-fire grilled meat.

Across vintages, Les Forots has consistently shown more gravitas than a typical Côtes-du-Rhône bottling might suggest — ripe but restrained blackberry and plum fruit accented by smoky, fire-roasted chestnut and scorched earth notes, moderately full in style, powerful and genuinely penetrating rather than simply pleasant. Decanter, reviewing an earlier vintage, found black cherry aromas marching confidently across a ripe, supple palate, matched by attractive savory notes. This is a Grenache-Syrah blend with real ambition behind it — from the man whose devotion to the Syrah grape helped modernize an entire corner of the Rhône Valley.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Vins Jean-Luc Colombo was formally established in 1994 by Jean-Luc and Anne Colombo, though their journey in Rhône Valley winemaking began a decade earlier, in 1984, when the couple opened the Centre Oenologique des Côtes du Rhône — a wine consulting laboratory that quickly built a reputation across the region. A pharmacist by training and a devoted student of the Syrah grape, Jean-Luc's approach to winemaking in Cornas — the smallest appellation in the entire Rhône Valley, covering just 325 acres of ancient, decomposed granite soil in the Northern Rhône — was widely considered revolutionary at the time, helping establish the appellation's modern reputation for producing some of the purest and finest expressions of Syrah anywhere in the world. Both Jean-Luc and Anne have been awarded the French Legion of Honor, France's highest civilian distinction, for their contributions to the country's winemaking heritage.

Les Forots is Colombo's Southern Rhône Côtes-du-Rhône AOC bottling, a blend of Grenache and Syrah whose exact proportions are adjusted vintage to vintage based on how each variety performs in a given growing season. The 2023 blend runs 51% Grenache and 49% Syrah. The house's stated philosophy for the cuvée — "L'Équilibre des Terroirs," the balance of terroirs — reflects a deliberate winemaking approach built on precision rather than sheer weight, letting the Syrah's characteristic spice and the Grenache's round, generous fruit each contribute their specific character to a harmonious whole.

Tasting Profile

Nose
Ripe blackberry and plum lead, accented by smoky tones of fire-roasted chestnuts and scorched earth. Black cherry adds vivid, confident fruit brightness, alongside the Syrah component's characteristic peppery spice.

Palate
Moderately full-bodied, structured, and surprisingly precise for a Côtes-du-Rhône bottling — powerful and genuinely penetrating rather than simply pleasant. The Syrah's spice character carries through alongside the Grenache's round, generous fruit and attractive savory notes. Ripe but restrained, with real gravitas.

Finish
Supple and confident, closing with lingering dark fruit, savory spice, and a subtle earthy, smoky character. A finish that rewards pairing with grilled and roasted meats, exactly as the house itself recommends.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Wood-fire grilled meat — the producer's own specific recommendation
• Roasted beef or lamb with vegetables
• Grilled sausages and charcuterie
• Hard, aged cheeses