It’s hard to avoid the Colin family when you are in Chassagne-Montrachet. Philippe Colin was born into the Colin-Deleger estate, and when his parents retired, Philippe split the vines with his brother Bruno. He set up his own domaine in 2004, out of modern premises on the outskirts of Chassagne-Montrachet. He has always aimed for a style of wine which is elegant and subtle rather weighty and powerful.

Philippe has also acquired and developed a South African project, Topiary, and now spends part of each year in South Africa (where he may also be planning to retire). This works well, as he has such a good, close-knit team in place in Chassagne.

Most recently, the wheel of inheritance is turning full circle. Philippe has allowed his son Simon to embark on his own using the family plots, while Philippe keeps the domaine’s long-standing, high-quality fermage sites (where he farms plots owned by others). Simon has moved into the modern facility outside Chassagne. Philippe now lives and works in a small side street in central Chassagne-Montrachet which the locals jokingly call ‘Colin Street’ because every resident has that surname. (NT 18/08/23)