Odilon de Varine

Coming Up

Odilon de Varine trained at University of Reims (1989), then stepped into the craft as winemaker at family’s domaine in Burgundy and as Cellar Master at an Alsatian domaine in Alsace. Those formative years, moving between cellar and vineyard, gave him a practical grounding in the disciplines that underpin great winemaking: listening closely, watching carefully, and understanding that every vintage arrives with its own temperament. He went on to serve as Cellar Master at Champagne Deutz (1991–2003), a long stretch that would have deepened both his technical command and his familiarity with the particular cadence of Champagne life, before moving to Champagne Henriot as Technical Director (2003–2006). Since 2016, Odilon has been Cellar Master of Champagne Gosset. The title suggests authority, but the work itself is more nuanced: shaping consistency without flattening nuance, guiding a house style while leaving room for the surprises that each year can bring.

Where They Are Now

From 2006 to 2016, he also served as deputy managing director of Champagne Gosset, pairing cellar authority with executive responsibility during that decade. It is a combination that speaks to both the intimate and the strategic sides of the métier: one foot in the cellar, the other in the broader life of the house, balancing detail with direction. The house flagship attached to his work is Gosset Grande Réserve. In his own words, “One can never make the exact same wine twice: every wine is unique, and winemaking cannot rely on any recipe.” That sentence offers a clear window into his approach, one that privileges judgment over formula and renewal over repetition. Rather than chasing sameness, the work becomes an exercise in attentive adjustment, in responding to what the season has given. He describes the work with similar restraint: “My winemaking philosophy is quite basic and humble; there is no pre-set recipe, and one must start from a blank page again, every time.” The phrasing is spare, but the philosophy behind it is rich: a commitment to beginning anew, to accepting that each cuvée asks to be understood on its own terms. His compass, too, is disarmingly personal. Asked what guides him, he has said, “My own palate! I like to make wines that I like to drink and share with friends.” That final note brings the whole portrait into focus. “A great wine should help to share time, connecting people. Wine is made to be shared.” In other words, the point is not simply excellence in the abstract, but conviviality—the way a bottle can gather people, slow the hour, and turn an ordinary moment into something more memorable.

Signature

Odilon's signature wines include Gosset Grande Réserve.

In Their Words “My winemaking philosophy is quite basic and humble; there is no pre-set recipe, and one must start from a blank page again, every time.” “One can never make the exact same wine twice: every wine is unique, and winemaking cannot rely on any recipe.”