Winemaker Notes
Philippe Colin’s heritage runs deeply in Chassagne-Montrachet, which is situated in the Côte-d’Or and inhabits only 300 residents. His father, Michel Colin-Deléger’s lineage traces back on both sides of the family to the 1850s when their ancestors settled in the area. He inherited vineyards from both the Colins and his father-in-law, the esteemed Georges Deléger. Michel founded his winery, Domaine Michel Colin-Deléger, in 1987, garnering a reputation as one of the top estates in the region, producing renowned premier and grand cru wines. In 1988, after studying vititculture in Beaune, Philippe joined his parents in the family business working closely by their sides. During this time Philippe gained a plethora of knowledge from his father, sparking his passion for winemaking. In 2004 when Michel retired (keeping just three parcels for himself), Philippe and his brother Bruno decided to split the estate into two separate domaines in order to respect their different approaches to winemaking. Domaine Philippe Colin was founded in the same year. Philippe’s efforts were soon acknowledged, with the domaine gaining an abundance of international prestige and recognition. Domaine Philippe Colin’s holdings stretch approximately 30 acres with vineyards mainly in the Chassagne-Montrachet area but also in Santenay, Puligny-Montrachet and Saint-Aubin. He covers 24 appellations in total through his selections, which are classified as Bourgogne, Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. Philippe upholds the philosophy of respecting the vineyards, intervening as little as possible to allow the purest expression of terroir to shine through, as each plot is markedly different.
The most acclaimed region of Burgundy, the Côte d’Or is defined by a long, limestone escarpment beneath the ground's surface and is home to all of Burgundy’s most famous wines. While Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are produced throughout the Côte d’Or, the north tends to excel at Pinot Noir and the south, at Chardonnay.
The northern half of the Côte d’Or is called the Côte de Nuits. Here reside most of the Pinot noir Grands Crus vineyards of Burgundy—the only one farther south, in Côte de Beaune, is Aloxe-Corton.
The Côte de Beaune is the center all of the Chardonnay Grands Crus with the exception of Le Musingy, found in Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits, which produces both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with Grand Cru status.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”