Olivier Collin’s latest releases from Champagne Ulysse Collin mark a decisive and thoughtful evolution in both style and structure. With a bold extension of lees aging to 72 months for three single-vineyard cuvées—Les Enfers, Les Roises, and Le Jardin d'Ulysse—Collin has reached a new benchmark in his sur lattes maturation approach. This move builds on his gradual progression from 48 to 60 months just a few years prior, reinforcing a vision anchored in patience, investment, and precision.
Such long aging requires not only time but strategic foresight, especially as Les Pierrières and Les Maillons have also shifted from 36 to 48 months. These decisions explain the reduced availability of the wines recently, and yet they underscore a deeper commitment to quality and refinement.
Once known for fresh, vintage-specific expressions, Ulysse Collin’s Champagnes today are defined by a more layered style: increasing proportions of reserve wines, longer lees aging, and a consistently restrained dosage (typically between 1.7 and 2.4 g/L), lending purity and tension across the range.
Since 2018, the introduction of a modern Coquard press has enabled greater precision in pressing, particularly in the final phases where control over tannins and color extraction is key. This shift adds another layer of finesse to Collin’s work, enhancing structure without compromising elegance.
The oak program, too, has matured. Collin now relies entirely on his own stock of barrels, renewing them regularly, with some in use for up to eight years. This careful stewardship of wood supports consistency and gentle integration over time.
Meanwhile, a new underground cellar is under construction, reflecting his long-term philosophy: to give wines the space and conditions they need to evolve both before and after disgorgement. It’s a move that aligns perfectly with the extended maturation now becoming standard.
Among the new releases, the 2019-based Les Pierrières and Les Maillons stand out for their richness and balance, shaped by a hot growing season and early harvest. They are denser than previous iterations from cooler years like 2014–2016, yet they retain the freshness that defines the domaine’s style.
Even more remarkable are the 2017-based Les Enfers and Les Roises. Thanks to the additional year on lees, these wines transcend the limitations of the vintage, delivering complexity and depth well beyond expectations. Both the 60-month and 72-month versions are available, but the longer-aged cuvée now sets the new benchmark.
Le Jardin d’Ulysse offers a unique twist: primarily Chardonnay from the 2017 vintage, subtly enriched by reserve wine from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The result is a refined, singular expression that rounds out the collection with grace.
This new set of releases is among the most accomplished to date from Ulysse Collin. These wines reflect not just technical mastery, but a growing confidence in the value of time, structure, and restraint. For collectors and enthusiasts alike, they offer some of the most compelling Champagne available today.