Colombier, Domaine du
Summary
Domaine du Colombier is a family-owned, medium-sized estate in Mercurol in the northern Rhône Valley, where Florent Viale manages 16 hectares across Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage, focusing primarily on Syrah-based wines from alluvial and granite soils. Their traditional winemaking approach includes temperature-controlled fermentation, appellation-specific aging regimens, and minimal intervention that prioritizes authentic terroir expression over trend-chasing.
Heritage & Leadership
Domaine du Colombier, located in Mercurol in the northern Rhône Valley, has been in the hands of the Viale family for generations. The estate is currently directed by Florent Viale, who took over from his father in the early 1990s. The domaine's history in the region dates back to 1929, when the Viale family first established their agricultural presence in the area, though wine production became their primary focus in later decades. Under Florent's leadership, the estate has expanded its vineyard holdings and refined its winemaking approach while maintaining the family's traditional methods. The transition from primarily fruit farming to dedicated wine production marked a significant evolution for the domaine, with their first estate-bottled wines appearing in the 1980s.
Vineyards & Wines
Domaine du Colombier encompasses approximately 16 hectares of vineyards, with 13 hectares in Crozes-Hermitage and a prized 1.5-hectare parcel on the hill of Hermitage. The Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are planted primarily on alluvial soils with deposits of clay, sand, and rounded stones, while the Hermitage parcel sits on the granite-based soils of this historic hill. The vineyards are planted predominantly with Syrah for red wines (accounting for about 90% of production), while Marsanne and Roussanne are cultivated for white wines. The vines in Crozes-Hermitage average 20-40 years of age, while some vines in the Hermitage parcel exceed 50 years. The estate produces distinct cuvées from these appellations, with their Hermitage representing the pinnacle of their production due to its limited quantity and the exceptional terroir.
Philosophy & Practice
At Domaine du Colombier, winemaking follows traditional methods that respect the expression of terroir. Florent Viale practices careful vineyard management with selective pruning and yield control to ensure optimal grape quality. For red wines, fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled tanks with regular pump-overs to extract color and structure. The Crozes-Hermitage reds typically age for 12-15 months in a combination of tanks and oak barrels (with limited new oak), while the Hermitage sees extended aging of 18-24 months in oak barrels with a higher percentage of new oak. White wines are pressed gently and fermented at controlled temperatures to preserve aromatic freshness, then aged on fine lees. The domaine's approach emphasizes minimal intervention in the cellar, allowing the distinctive characteristics of each vineyard site to be expressed in the finished wines. Harvesting is done by hand for the Hermitage parcels to ensure only the highest quality fruit is selected.