Merlot : Medium to small, cylindrical-conical airy berries; early grape variety. Gives red wines with a lot of freshness and roundness, marked in particular by aromas of black fruits.
Cabernet-sauvignon : Small clusters with small berries. This grape variety gives red wines a sustained color and a tannic structure which give them good aging potential.
Syrah : Medium-sized to small elliptical berries. It produces red wines of good alcoholic strength, suitable for aging and of very high quality. Intense color, fine and complex aromas.
Grenache : Large, winged and compact clusters. Medium spherical berries. It carries vigor, a high alcohol potential and gives powerful and structured wines.
Cinsaut : Large cylindrical-conical clusters and large elliptical berries with juicy flesh. It brings fruity, suppleness and finesse to pink wines.
Mourvedre : Large cylindrical-conical clusters and large elliptical berries with juicy flesh. It brings fruity, suppleness and finesse to pink wines.
Carignan : Carignan’s photogenic vines display goffered leaves and large winged clusters of blue-black berries. Originally from Spain, this red wine variety acquired a bad reputation at a time when it was grown on young vines for high yields, with a negative impact on quality. But on old vines, as at Valcolombe, it produces characterful wines of surprising quality.
White grape varieties
Rolle : Rolle or Vermentino is a white Mediterranean grape. Cluster with large, slightly elliptical vaults. It brings great aromatic richness, fat and roundness to white wines.
Viognier : Compact medium-sized clusters with small berries. The Viognier produces racy and very fragrant white wines that develop aromas of white flowers, dried apricot, peach, and white fruit and honey. A wine of great finesse, very fragrant with good acidity.
Semillon : Medium sized clusters with large rounded berries. It adds fat to white wines.