Albert Bichot Chablis Grand Cru Les Vaudesirs 2020

Maison Albert Bichot was established in Beaune in 1831 by Bernard Bichot, grandfather of the first of a line of Albert Bichots.

The current managing director is Alberic Bichot (born 1964) who has revitalised the business which is now based around a series of domaines: Long-Depaquit in Chablis, Clos Frantin for the Côte de Nuits, du Pavillon for the Côte de Beaune and Domaine d’Adélie for Mercurey. Wines with one or other of these denominations will be from their own vineyards, while wines just bearing the name Albert Bichot will be from purchased grapes.

The company has separate vinification centres in Chablis, Pommard, Nuits-St-Georges and Beaune itself. Lupé-Cholet is an associated marque. Christophe Chavel has been looking after the vineyards since 2000, ensuring that they are all ploughed and no fertilisers are used. Alain Serveau, originally from a domaine in Morey-St-Denis, is technical director. Fermentation takes place in wooden vats of varying sizes depending on the specific plot of vines in question, using natural yeasts. Maturation is in oak barrels without too much new wood: 20 to 30 per cent for village wines, from 50 to 100 per cent forgrands crus.

Bichot is now a serious player with some excellent red wines which avoid showing too much of a house style, and some fine whites.

At the heart of the Grand Crus sector, the Vaudésirs valley is a textbook example of the geology and history of Chablis' vineyards and bears witness to the erosion that followed the last ice age.

The plot is located on abrupt slopes with full southern exposure, which gives the vines high levels of regular sunshine. Here, Kimmeridgian outcrops are very numerous, which is expressed in the wines particularly pronounced minerality.

The grapes are handpicked before fermentation in stainless steel and oak vats. Ageing is 75% in stainless steel vats and 25% in 1 to 5-year-old oak barrels for 10 months on fines lees, then in stainless steel vats for a further 6 months.

This Grand Cru starts off with a welcoming nose redolent of citrus fruit and delicate floral (lily of the valley, camomile) notes. The palate expresses moderate and very pleasing acidity which makes this wine a typical representation of a Chablis Grand Cru: mineral and intense.