Unsuspected. The Domaine du Colombier vineyard covers 30 hectares, populated by vines, alfalfa fields, young olive trees and meadows.
Here, water is everywhere.
The vineyard is bordered by the Ardèche river, not far from the famous Pont d’Arc and the Chauvet cave. It is also crossed by the Paris stream, fed by a Roman source.
This rare environment gives birth to a precious ecosystem, populated by amphibians, dragonflies, pheasant hens, egrets, asherons, deer…Sometimes, a colony of storks settles for a stop!
At the edge of the Domaine, is the amleographic garden of the Colombier. Eighteen different grape varieties allow the visitor to observe the leaves, clusters, twigs and inflorescences according to the seasons. From Hamburg muscat to Merlot, from Marsanne to Syrah, common grape varieties are present. The curious visitor will also find the older grape varieties, called “hybrids” such as Couderc B.13, the famous Jacquet or Clinton.
The terroir of the Domaine du Colombier, in IGP Ardèche, is particularly fertile.
From the banks of the river to the hillsides at the entrance to the Gorges de l’Ardèche, the stony and deep soils, lined with silt and sand are the trace of a history in which water has played a major role.
The microclimate of the Vallon Pont-d’Arc plain combines the advantages of the Mediterranean climate and a significant water supply.
These rare geological conditions allow the grapes to take the time to ripen and create a wine less loaded with alcohol.
Like a long-awaited slowdown, giving wine qualities of freshness, welcome at the height of summer.
The soil is worked or left grassed naturally, which makes it possible to preserve a diversity of plants, flowers, and insects.
Ten grape varieties are grown at Domaine du Colombier ( Grenache, Syrah, Merlot, Carignan, Cabernet, Viognier, Cinsault, Vermentino, Sauvignon and Chardonnay). If the average age of vine plants is 15 years, some vines are up to 90 years old and still produce delicious grapes today.