Our story begins in 1973, with a dream rooted in family and the land. Paul Suzzoni, guided by a passion for viticulture and the support of his father Antoine, planted the very first vines of Niellucciu in the villages of Lumiu and Montegrosso. It was more than just the start of a vineyard. It was the beginning of a legacy.
In 1986, Paul’s younger brother Étienne chose to dedicate his life to the estate. With patience and determination, he expanded the vineyard, introduced new grape varieties, and developed a balanced ecosystem that today brings together 64 hectares of vines, olive trees, and free-grazing cattle, all working in harmony with nature.
Today, it’s the next generation who carries this story forward. In 2016, Étienne’s son Paul-Antoine took the lead in the cellar, crafting the estate’s 40th vintage alongside his father. His wife Lola soon joined him, followed by his younger brother Florian, turning the estate into a true family home, where every bottle tells a part of their journey.
Deeply committed to quality, authenticity, and the soul of Corsica, the family produces wines with character. Wines that speak of their land, their values, and the hands that shape them. With the fourth generation already growing up among the vines, this story is far from over. It’s a living heritage, built to be shared.
To us, terroir is not a fixed landscape
It is a living composition shaped by the hand of man
Without his presence, it cannot fully speak through the wine
It is a delicate alchemy
Where geology, soil, climate and biodiversity meet
In a constant, silent conversation
One that must be learned, felt, respected
Through our gestures and our choices
We shape wines that reflect a certain reading of this land
A vision that evolves with time, instinct and experience
Nothing is ever absolute
Everything lives in nuance, in what is perceived, sensed and interpreted
Our intention is to find harmony among all these forces
Through thoughtful vineyard practices
And vinifications guided by both precision and intuition
In this humble and ever-renewed pursuit
We try to draw closer to what we believe
Is the most honest and pure expression of our terroir
The vineyard is positioned entre mer et montagne – between sea and mountains. Vines, olive trees, oak groves and meadows create a patchwork of farmland of nearly 140 hectares.
This vegetation takes root in monzogranitic soils made up of crystalline metamorphic rock with high silica content and rich in potassium, magnesium and manganese.
This terroir, typical of AOC Corse-Calvi, is founded on one of the oldest granitic platforms in Corsica (350 million years old). Over the millennia, a gradual breakdown of the rock has given way to sandy loam soils with contrasting textures and structures.
You can therefore find extremely sandy soils in the foothills of the mountains, and increasingly loamy, sometimes even clayey, soils on the plains. Ancient clay-loam alluvial soils are also present, washed down from Montegrossu, the 1937m mountain that towers over the Bay of Calvi.
There are slight variations in the climate from one year to the next, even if seasonal patterns are relatively uniform.
The Gulf of Calvi is a drainage basin protected by the mountainous barrier of Monte Cinto and benefits from what is known as the ‘Balagne microclimate’. Corsica has many microclimates.
The climate here is tempered by the influence of the mountains and the sea, which also help limit the risk of spring frosts and hail. Winters are mild and wet and notable for the snowmelts which help replenish the water table in spring. The summers are hot, dry and windy, and therefore favourable for the cultivation of olives and vines, and they help reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
Despite these climate patterns, no one vintage is the same, and it is this that accounts for the richness and diversity of our work and sparks our passion.
The oldest vines were planted in 1973.
The youngest have only just taken root this year.
They do not bear fruit yet, but already, they whisper of what’s to come.
Since those very first parcels, the estate has never ceased to evolve.
A patient journey, shaped by observation, intuition and conviction.
Today, our vineyard extends across 64 hectares, broken down into 27 distinct production zones, as many fragments of terroir that we continue to explore, read and interpret.
Our grape varieties reflect this diversity, with 60% red and the remaining 40% white.
A living harmony rich in nuance.
The foundation lies in three emblematic Corsican grapes: Vermentinu, Niellucciu and Sciaccarellu, which together represent two-thirds of our vineyard.
Around them, a palette of Mediterranean varieties enriches certain cuvées, especially within the Culombu range, making up about 10% of the surface area.
And then there are the heritage varieties, long forgotten and now brought back to life.
This is the result of slow and dedicated work, carried out across the island and supported by research, shared knowledge and the guidance of the Centre de Recherche Viticole de Corse (CRVI), whose mission is to identify, preserve and reintroduce this precious plant heritage.
Whether through new plantings or grafting onto older vines, more than a quarter of the estate is now dedicated to these native Corsican grapes.
A choice rooted in both heart and conviction.
Our White Grapes
Vermentinu, Carcaghjolu Biancu, Codivarta, Cualtacciu, Brustianu, Riminese, Genovese, Rosula Bianca, Pagadebiti, Biancu Gentile, Muscat à Petits Grains, Biancone
Our Red Grapes
Niellucciu, Sciaccarellu, Minustellu, Carcaghjolu Neru, Cinsault, Syrah, Aleaticu, Murescone, Vintaghju, Elegente
Since the beginning, the domaine has always been managed in an environmentally-friendly manner and worked without the use of weed killers, pesticides and other synthetic or chemical fertilisers.
We therefore decided to make this philosophy official by starting our conversion to organic growing in 2010. Three years later the whole of the vineyard was certified organic by ECOCERT.
Our desire to innovate makes us constantly question our practices, both in the cellar, with the use of the most suitable modern equipment, and in the vineyard, by favouring the natural balance of the ecosystem. We are aware of the numerous issues that we face and that affect us, including climate change, and this encourages us to adapt our methods and get as close as we possibly can to nature to respect her needs. We believe that replanting ancient grape varieties and adopting biodynamic practices are the most natural ways to respond to the issues of our times. Our philosophy is therefore very simple – it is to stay humble and to always do our best.
Our vineyards, situated between 50 and 150m altitude, are made up of 27 parcels split between olive groves, scrubland and oak groves, which extend from the banks of the Fiume Seccu, ‘dry river’, to the slopes of the Capu Bracaghju hills. We have committed to questioning and constantly challenging the techniques we use to work the soils, and we try to adapt these to the different soil types found in each of our plots, as well as to the weather conditions of each specific vintage. The agricultural challenges of today and tomorrow are not the same as they were 50 years ago. We now face real environmental and climate issues, which are forcing us to experiment and adapt our production techniques.
The organic growing we practise on the domaine, as well as our conversion to biodynamics, encourages us to seek quality while respecting the natural rhythms of nature as much as possible.
In 2010, Clos Culombu entered a new era.
A modern cellar was born, simple in form yet designed for precision in every gesture.
This marked the beginning of a profound transformation, one guided by a truer and more respectful approach to the grape, the soil, and the passage of time.
But that was only the first step.
In 2018, a new milestone was reached with the creation of an extension spread across three gravity-fed levels, designed to accompany the wines gently, never forcing them.
A place crafted for meticulous work, where our most refined cuvées take shape.
Concrete, stainless steel, oak, stoneware, and glass coexist and converse, finding balance so that each wine may follow its own rhythm and its own voice.
Here, there is no room for doubt. Every detail, every choice, every silence contributes to a single pursuit: the creation of wines that are sincere, authentic, and true to their terroir.
Each vintage is a renewed promise, a story still being written between the hand of humankind and the truth of the land.
At Clos Culombu, some vines are still cultivated the old way, with strength, patience, and respect. Christine, our mother, has brought her passion for animal traction to life through Bianca, her 14-year-old mule and loyal partner in the vines.
Together, they tend to 8 hectares with care and precision. More than just a method, this choice reflects a philosophy : to work in harmony with the soil, reduce compaction, and preserve the life beneath our feet. From traditional goblet-trained vines to younger plots, animal traction allows for delicate, thoughtful work, blending ancestral know-how with a modern commitment to sustainability.
A must-do experience at the estate!
Christine welcomes you to BalaCorsica for an unforgettable adventure in the heart of the vineyard, between Fat Bike rides and donkey treks.
For the grown-ups, several bike trails, both family-friendly and sporty, are available from the age of 10.
Ranging from 5 to 16 kilometres, these marked routes invite you to explore the estate at your own pace, through vines, olive groves, and the Corsican maquis.
For the little ones, it’s all about gentleness and discovery. Donkey rides are available from the age of 3, on two circuits of 1.5 km and 3 km.
A beautiful way to experience the Clos in a different light, an hour of simple, shared joy.
Activities are available daily during summer, from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., and on request during the off-season.
Booking is required, directly with Christine at +33 (0)6 08 45 50 98.
