Facing the Sunrise
On a granitic hilltop at 550 metres in the northern Rhône, Laure Colombo and Dimitri Roulleau-Gallais have created a farm that is more than a vineyard — it is an ecosystem. Chestnut trees, cherry trees, olive trees, and vines share the same soil. Horses plough. Chickens fertilise. And the wines, made with native yeast and minimal sulfur, taste like the dawn that gives their lieu-dit its name: Lorient.
From Sommelier to Farmer
Laure Colombo was born in 1990 into one of the most respected winemaking families in the northern Rhône. Her father Jean-Paul Colombo is a legendary figure in Cornas, and her mother Anne is equally accomplished. Laure grew up surrounded by vines, barrels, and the intense focus that defines great winemaking families. But she did not immediately follow the path [^314^][^316^].
Instead, she became a sommelier — working at the prestigious Le Clarence in Paris, then at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Geneva. She won the Trophée du Meilleur Jeune Sommelier de France in 2012 and the Trophée du Meilleur Sommelier de Suisse Romande in 2014. She was, by any measure, at the top of her profession [^316^].
But the cellar called. In 2015, she returned to the family domain to work alongside her parents. She learned the vineyards, the cellar, the rhythms of harvest. And she met Dimitri Roulleau-Gallais, a fellow winemaker with whom she shared a vision: not to inherit the family estate, but to build something of their own [^316^].
In 2019, they found a property in Saint-Péray — a lieu-dit called Lorient, facing the sunrise, at 550 metres on a granitic hilltop. The name was perfect. The terroir was exceptional. And the farm, with its polyculture of vines, fruit trees, and animals, offered everything they needed to realise their dream of holistic, biodynamic agriculture [^314^][^316^].
"Lorient is the name of the lieu-dit where the estate is located. It faces the sunrise and is situated at 550m altitude on a granitic hilltop."
— Domaine de Lorient
Granite, Polyculture, & Horses
The Domaine de Lorient spans 5.5 hectares in the Saint-Péray appellation — one of the smallest and most northerly of the Rhône Valley's crus. The vineyard sits at 550 metres on a granitic hilltop, with shallow, well-drained soils that stress the vines and concentrate flavour. The altitude provides freshness and acidity; the granite provides mineral backbone [^314^].
But Lorient is not just a vineyard. It is a farm — a polyculture where vines coexist with chestnut trees, cherry trees, olive trees, and a vegetable garden. Horses plough the soils. Chickens roam freely, fertilising the ground and controlling pests. The farm operates as a closed ecosystem, with each element supporting the others [^316^].
Laure and Dimitri farm biodynamically — not for certification, but because they believe in the philosophy. They use preparations, follow the lunar calendar, and treat the farm as a living organism. The goal is not maximum yield but maximum expression: wines that taste of this specific place, this specific moment, this specific season [^314^].
Saint-Péray, northern Rhône. 550m altitude. Granitic hilltop. Shallow, well-drained soils. Cool nights, warm days. The highest altitude in the appellation, giving wines of unusual freshness and mineral tension.
Vines, chestnut trees, cherry trees, olive trees, vegetable garden. Horses for ploughing. Chickens for fertilisation and pest control. A closed ecosystem where every element supports every other. Biodynamic philosophy in practice.
Marsanne and Roussanne for whites — the traditional grapes of Saint-Péray. Syrah for reds — the great variety of the northern Rhône. All planted on granite, all expressing the specific character of this high-altitude site.
Biodynamic, not certified. No synthetic chemicals. Lunar calendar followed for vineyard work and cellar operations. Horses instead of tractors. Manual harvest. The goal: wines that taste of Lorient and nothing else.
Native Yeast, Concrete, Patience
In the cellar, Laure and Dimitri employ minimal intervention. Fermentation is spontaneous, driven by the native yeasts that exist on the grapes and in the cellar environment. No commercial inoculations, no enzymes, no adjustments. The wines ferment in concrete vats — a deliberate choice that allows micro-oxygenation without adding oak flavour [^314^].
The whites — Marsanne and Roussanne — are aged on lees in concrete, developing texture and complexity without the weight of oak. The reds — Syrah — see longer maceration and aging, also in concrete, extracting colour and tannin while preserving the variety's natural freshness. Sulfur is used sparingly, only when necessary to protect the wine [^316^].
The result is wines of striking purity and place. The Saint-Péray Blanc is mineral, floral, and textured — a white wine that can age beautifully. The Saint-Péray Rouge is sleek, peppery, and fresh — a Syrah that speaks of granite and altitude rather than sun and extraction. Both are unmistakably northern Rhône, unmistakably Lorient [^314^].
The Concrete Choice
Like Jean-Baptiste Arena in Corsica, Laure and Dimitri have chosen concrete over oak for their élevage. Concrete vats allow the wine to breathe — micro-oxygenation softens tannins and develops complexity — without adding vanilla, toast, or spice. The result is a pure expression of grape and terroir: Marsanne's honeyed texture, Roussanne's aromatic intensity, Syrah's pepper and iron. The concrete is neutral; the wine is everything.
Colombo Legacy, New Vision
Laure Colombo carries one of the most respected names in the northern Rhône. Her father Jean-Paul and mother Anne have built a reputation for Cornas and Saint-Péray wines of exceptional quality and longevity. Laure's decision to create her own domain rather than simply inherit was a deliberate choice — a desire to prove herself on her own terms, with her own vision [^316^].
Dimitri Roulleau-Gallais brings his own experience and perspective. Together, they form a partnership of equals — sharing vineyard work, cellar duties, and the endless decisions that define a small estate. Their children are growing up on the farm, surrounded by vines and animals, learning the rhythms of agricultural life that Laure herself absorbed as a child [^316^].
The Domaine de Lorient is not a rejection of the Colombo legacy but an expansion of it. Laure honours her parents' work while forging her own path — higher altitude, biodynamic farming, polyculture, and a focus on freshness and purity that reflects both the site and her generation's evolving taste [^314^].
"Wines that taste of this specific place, this specific moment, this specific season."
— Domaine de Lorient
The Lorient Range
All wines are made from biodynamically farmed estate fruit, hand-harvested, fermented with native yeast in concrete vats, and aged with minimal sulfur. The range is small and focused — white and red expressions of Saint-Péray's granitic terroir, made with the patience and precision that define great northern Rhône wine [^314^][^316^].