Olivier Morin

Olivier Morin can trace his ancestry in the village of Chitry le Fort back for countless generations. His home was built by his great-great-grandparents, and his grandfather was one of the first vignerons in Chitry to bottle his own wines. Chitry lies nestled in a small valley just at the edge of Chablis, and together with his wife Nelly, Olivier Morin follows his calling to produce and promote the wines of Chitry.

Morin’s 14 hectares of vines are farmed thoughtfully and sustainably. He uses natural grass cover, no herbicides, organic compost, and green harvests to ensure that the best quality fruit. Since 2020, all vineyards have been farmed organically and will be officially certified in 2022. The cellar is half-buried in the hillside above the village, which allows him to work by gravity, eliminating the need to use pumps to transfer the wine. All fermentations use native yeasts and wines are bottled with little or no filtration and minimal use of sulfur. In addition to the wines produced from his own vineyards in Chitry, Morin purchases small amounts of Irancy and Chablis from longtime friends who farm with a similar sustainable philosophy. Morin has the demeanor and confidence of someone who knows one of the world’s great secrets, and is honestly delighted to share the wines of Chitry with anyone who comes to seek them out. The wines are a joyful expression of pure minerality - precise, delicious, and true.

Morin deftly explains why Chablis is more famous than Chitry. In the early 20th century, a farmer earned more with cherries than with grapes. Because it's located in a natural amphiteatre, cherries ripen better in Chitry, plus it's a bit closer to the larger town of Auxerre. As time progressed, most growers in Chitry chose to grow cherries, while those in Chablis were "obliged" to stick with grapes. Despite all this, the Morin family has always been dedicated to grape growing. Olivier's grandfather was the first person to plant Chardonnay, and his father was the first to estate bottle wines in Chitry.

Key information

Burgundy

Chitry-le-Fort

14 hectares

Founded in 1992

Organic