Ulysse Collin
Summary
Ulysse Collin is a small-scale grower-producer in southern Champagne's Coteaux du Petit Morin, crafting terroir-specific Champagnes from 8.5 hectares of old-vine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir planted on diverse chalky soils. Olivier Collin's Burgundian approach includes barrel fermentation with indigenous yeasts, extended lees aging, minimal dosage, and transparent vintage expression, creating highly sought-after single-vineyard bottlings that have redefined expectations for site-specific Champagne.
Heritage & Leadership
Ulysse Collin was established in its current form in 2003 when Olivier Collin reclaimed his family's vineyards in the village of Congy in Champagne's Coteaux du Petit Morin. The Collin family had owned these vineyards for generations, but they had been leased to a large Champagne house since the 1950s. After completing his law studies and working with Anselme Selosse, Olivier negotiated the return of the family vineyards when the lease expired. The domaine is named after Olivier's grandfather, Ulysse Collin, who originally assembled many of the vineyard holdings in the early 20th century.
The transition wasn't immediate—Olivier began with just 1.5 hectares in 2003, gradually expanding as more parcels returned from lease arrangements. By 2012, he had regained control of the family's entire vineyard holdings. Today, Olivier Collin serves as both proprietor and winemaker, personally overseeing all aspects of production from viticulture to disgorgement.
Vineyards & Wines
Ulysse Collin's holdings now encompass approximately 8.5 hectares spread across several distinct vineyard sites in the southern reaches of Champagne. The domaine focuses on four primary single-vineyard cuvées, each expressing a specific terroir. Les Pierrières and Les Roises are planted to Chardonnay in the village of Congy, featuring chalky soils with varying levels of clay. Les Maillons, a 2.5-hectare plot in Barbonne-Fayel, is dedicated to Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian limestone with clay. The newest addition, Les Enfers, is a Chardonnay vineyard in Vert-Toulon with particularly chalky soils.
The vineyards are farmed with organic practices, emphasizing soil health through cover crops and minimal chemical interventions. Most vines range from 30-70 years old, with some parcels containing vines over 80 years of age. Yields are naturally restricted to between 30-45 hectoliters per hectare, significantly below regional averages. Each vineyard is harvested separately, with careful sorting to ensure only the highest quality fruit enters the winery.
Philosophy & Practice
Olivier Collin's approach centers on transparent expression of terroir through minimal intervention. Primary fermentation occurs exclusively in oak barrels (primarily 3-10 year old pieces from Burgundy producers) using indigenous yeasts. The wines undergo complete malolactic fermentation and remain on their fine lees until bottling, which typically occurs in July following the harvest.
Unlike many Champagne producers who blend multiple years, Ulysse Collin's wines are single-vintage expressions, though they're labeled without vintage dates as "Les Vins de Réserve" to allow flexibility with aging and release schedules. After secondary fermentation in bottle, the wines age on lees for a minimum of 24 months, with many cuvées seeing 36-48 months before disgorgement.
Each bottle is disgorged by hand and receives minimal dosage, typically between 1.5-3 grams per liter, allowing the character of the base wines to shine through. Disgorgement dates are clearly marked on each bottle, acknowledging the importance of this step in a wine's development. Production remains limited, with approximately 25,000-30,000 bottles produced annually across all cuvées, maintaining Collin's commitment to quality over quantity.