Olivier Horiot

The King of Rosé

The Horiot family has been cultivating vines in Les Riceys for several generations, but it was in 1999 that Olivier gave the estate a new lease of life by asserting a fully independent vision, convinced that this unique terroir deserved to be expressed in all its complexity. He gradually abandoned conventional practices to move the estate towards organic and then biodynamic agriculture, an approach that led to certification in 2013 and confirmed his desire to work in harmony with nature.

The vineyard covers approximately 8.5 hectares spread over the three villages of Les Riceys, with Kimmeridgian soils combining clay, limestone and marl, a landscape that is both Champagne-like and marked by Burgundian influence. Olivier cultivates the classic Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay grape varieties, as well as ancient and almost forgotten varieties such as Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, seeking to revive the region's historical diversity.

In the cellar, he favours a sober approach that respects the raw materials. Each plot is vinified separately with indigenous yeasts, very little sulphur and often aged in barrels without fining or filtration, in order to preserve the wine's identity. Cuvées such as Sève, Métisse and Soléra express the minerality and depth of the terroir, while more confidential wines, such as Rosé des Riceys, Coteaux Champenois and rare single varietals, reveal all the richness and audacity of a resolutely unique estate...