Albert Bichot

For almost two centuries, the Maison Albert Bichot has been dedicated to the production of wine in the prestigious Côte d'Or area in Burgundy. The winery was founded back in 1831 by Bernard Bichot, who was succeeded by his son Hippolyte and then his grandson Albert, who gave the estate its definitive name and, in 1912, settled in the centre of the commune of Beaune. Subsequent generations increased the volume and quality of production, placing Albert Bichot among the world's best-known Burgundian Domaines. The first traces of the Bichot family date back to the 13th century, and in 1350 the ancestors of the current owners settled in Burgundy; the family coat of arms depicting a deer has remained unchanged ever since. Today, the Domaine is led by Albéric Bichot, who took over full control of the estate in the early 1990s. For years, the Maison Albert Bichot has been the biggest buyer of the Hospices de Beaune, a former charitable hospice that has been organising an annual auction since 1859 in which it puts up for sale barrels of wine made from the more than 60 hectares of vineyards, mainly classified as Grand Cru and Premier Cru, donated by generous Domaines. The entire proceeds of the auction go to charities.
The vineyards controlled by the Albert Bichot cellar are spread over 6 estates throughout Burgundy, from Chablis in the far north to Beaujolais in the south, passing of course through the prestigious Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Given this considerable extension, comprising more than 100 hectares under vine, the soils and microclimates from which the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Aligoté and Gamay vines cultivated by the Maison benefit are very heterogeneous. In general, the climate tends to be warmer as one proceeds from north to south, while the soils are mainly characterised by an abundance of clay and limestone, with the Kimmeridge type soil present in the Chablis area. In the field, sustainable viticulture is applied while in the cellar, an oenology aimed at minimising invasive interventions is adopted.
The wide-ranging production of the Albert Bichot cellar offers a broad overview of the heterogeneous characteristics of the Burgundy terroir, interpreted through clean wines that reflect the characteristics of the area of origin.