Ulysse Collin Les Maillons 36 mo sur lie (Base 2018, Deg 2022)

Disgorged in February 2022 with a dosage of 2.4 grams per liter, the NV Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons (2018 base) is the first release in which Collin employed his new press, enabling more selective extraction and greater control—an advancement that proved especially beneficial in shaping wines from high-maturity vintages such as this. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, freshly baked bread and orange peel, it is full-bodied, broad-shouldered and enveloping, with a textural attack that segues into a generous core of fruit and a vinous mid-palate, concluding with a long, sapid finish. It performs admirably within the context of the base vintage, though it is somewhat less concentrated than the 2017- or 2019-based releases. This bottling inaugurates a trio of renditions built on high-maturity base vintages, attaining roughly 14% alcohol following secondary fermentation—in marked contrast to cooler, lower-maturity years such as 2016 and 2021.

By Kristaps Karklins April 2026