Philippe Collin is the son of a Champenois vigneron and he moved to Limoux in 1980, planting his vineyard from scratch around the village of Tourreilles. Philippe has long been a fervent believer that Limoux provides an ideal climate for the Champagne grapes, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Historically, Philippe has been frustrated by the appellation rules which stated that the local grape, Mauzac, must dominate Limoux sparkling AOC wines. In 1990, the appellation of Crémant de Limoux was created to include higher proportions of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc and, in 2003, Pinot Noir was finally sanctioned as a permitted grape variety.