Ulysse Collin Les Maillons Rose de Saignee Extra Brut NV

The rags-to-riches story of Champagne Ulysse Collin perfectly epitomises the rocketing rises to fame we are now witnessing in the grower Champagne world. But even if, from afar, the Ulysse Collin saga might come across as an overnight success, it has taken blood, sweat and tears to build the domaine from scratch into one of the most coveted and critically acclaimed grower brands around. While the Côte des Bar is arguably Champagne’s most vocal concentration of independent, terroir-obsessed growers, the fame of the Coteaux du Petit Morin and the Côte de Sézanne terroirs—the southerly continuation of the Côte des Blancs—rests largely on the shoulders of one vigneron. It’s just as well those shoulders belong to Olivier Collin.The very beginning was particularly gruelling for the brand, as Collin had to fight hard to get back his family’s 8.7-hectare domaine, which had been rented out and tightly held by contracts with Pommery. It was an opportunity to put his legal studies to the test and a breakthrough finally came in 2003, after months of persistence.Olivier Collin is one of Champagne’s most driven and inquisitive vignerons, crafting some of the most original and satisfying terroir wines. They are also some of the most sought-after, meaning Collin’s wines are only available in Australia on allocation.“There is little question Collin’s wines are now on the same level as those of his mentor, Anselme Selosse.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous