Colin

The house of Colin is based in Vertus, at the southern end of the Côte des Blancs. The family has been working vines here since 1829, and seven generations have shaped the estate. It is run by the brothers Richard and Romain Colin, together with Richard's wife Delphine. As independent growers, they work their own vineyards, press their own grapes and sell their own wine.

From the cooperative to their own champagne

For six generations the family first supplied grapes to the cooperatives in Vertus and Bergères-lès-Vertus. In the 1990s the brothers left the cooperative to bring their own champagne to market. The sources give both 1995 and 1997 for this. The grandmothers Geneviève Prieur and Marie-Louise Radet had inherited vineyards from their parents and so passed on their passion for wine.

Vineyards and way of working

The vines stand in five villages: in the Premier Cru sites of Vertus and Bergères-les-Vertus, in the Grand Cru sites of Cramant and Oiry, and in Sézanne. Around 95 per cent of the vineyard area is planted with Chardonnay. Pinot Meunier grows in Sézanne, Pinot Noir in Vertus. The figures for the total vineyard area vary: depending on the page, the website gives 10 or 14 hectares, while the Vignerons Indépendants list 11 hectares. Some plots have belonged to the family for over 200 years, such as Les Prôles (1804) and La Croix Saint-Ladre (1816).

“The family has been working vines here since 1829, and seven generations have shaped the estate.

Viticulture is sustainably oriented, with soil work, controlled cover crops and hand labour, and the estate is certified HVE Level 3. The grapes are picked by hand, and each site is vinified separately. Both oak and stainless steel are used for fermentation and ageing. The cuvées are mostly made with a low dosage.

Cuvées and visiting

The wines include the Castille, a Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs, and the Cuvée Parallèle, a Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut. A single-plot champagne is made from La Croix-Saint-Ladre in Vertus, a parcel more than 40 years old. The two rosés, Castille Rosé and Chemin des Roses, come from Pinot Noir.

Visits are possible by appointment, according to the Vignerons Indépendants Monday to Friday from 10 am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 5 pm, and on Saturdays from 9.30 am to 12 noon; closed on Sundays. Groups of up to 25 people are welcome, and English is spoken. Address: 101 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 51130 Vertus.