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Albert Bichot 2007 Côte d'Or Whites

The Domaine du Pavillon was acquired for the Bichot portfolio in 1993, and today it accounts for 17 hectares of the Bichot vineyards, situated entirely in the Côte de Beaune, principally in the villages of Meursault, Volnay, Pommard, Beaune and Aloxe Corton. Notable vineyards include Clos des Ursulines, a 4 hectare monopole close to the centre of the village of Pommard, as well as the Clos des Maréchaudes, another monopole. This latter vineyard is unusual in that it although it is a true clos, it is divided between grand and premier cru. Of the 2 hectares approximately one-third, the upper slopes, are Corton Grand Cru, whilst the remaining vines on the lower slopes are Aloxe Corton Premier Cru. In addition there are 1.5 hectares of vines in Les Charmes, a leading premier cru of Meursault, and there is even 0.3 hectares of vineyard in the same commune planted with Pinot Noir which is entitled to the little-known Meursault Rouge appellation.

As indicated by my notes below, however, there are many other wines in the Bichot portfolio besides those from the Pavillon vineyards, which are distinguished by the Domaine du Pavillon designation on the label. These other wines are made from purchased fruit and constitute a large part of the Bichot portfolio, largely at the generic level, but also in the higher classifications right up to grand cru.

The notes below are on wines tasted at the Bichot facility in Beaune, and all of them, together with this mini-profile, have been incorporated into my Albert Bichot profile. In case it isn't already transparent this visit to Beaune, and this tasting, is the result of hospitality from Albert Bichot. If you feel that might have impaired my judgement of the wines, please bear that in mind when reading my notes. (28/5/09)

Albert Bichot 2007 Whites - Tasting Notes

The following wines were tasted in March 2009. Click for stockists.

Albert Bichot Bourgogne Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2007: This cuvée was added to the Bichot range with the 2002 vintage after seven years of research. It uses fruit from the Côte d'Or peripheries harvested at 45 hl/ha and 25% is aged in barrel. The production is 25000 cases per annum. This vintage is already in bottle, and has a lovely fresh nose, bright but vinous and nutty. It has a good, broad presence on the palate, appealing with good grip, lots of fine texture, and not a hint of leanness. A nice, peppery grip and good firm finish. For the appellation, this is remarkably good quality. 16/20

Albert Bichot Rully 2007: This is sourced from a single vineyard, the location of which is undisclosed; 20% is fermented in barrels, none of which are new. The nose here is really interesting, with notes of toffee ripple ice cream and caramelised apples. It sounds weird but it is really appealing. The palate is quite softly styled, although there is a nice bite to it later. A gentle acidity contributes to its rather warm, pillowy style. More grip in the end though. 15.5/20

Albert Bichot St Romain 2007: Harvested at 40-45 hl/ha. The nose here kicks off with almonds, and then broader nutty aromas. The palate is tighter, with a slightly purer definition, although it shows a somewhat fuller style in the midpalate. There is brighter acidity here than in the Bourgogne or Rully. Firmer, more structured, a touch gritty, with good cellar potential. This is a step up I think. 16-16.5+/20

Albert Bichot Chassagne-Montrachet 2007: This is rather broader on the nose than I expected, with an open, cashew nut character, with nuances of acacia, fruit and citrus cream. Initially reserved on the palate, it later broadens out, opening and loosening up somewhat, showing a better grip and a fuller, more structured style than was suggested at the beginning. There is good acidity here, a minerally tinge, and good potential too. 16-16.5+/20

Albert Bichot Puligny-Montrachet 2007: Intense and aromatic on the nose, with golden fruits and a fresh, honey-like tinge of oak. Rich, open, gentle, very relaxed and almost creamy in style, although later there is a more evident peppery grip. The finish is warmly honeyed, backed up by a little grip. Not quite the style I was expecting, but certainly a good wine, although I think I prefer the Chassagne. 15.5-16+/20

Albert Bichot Domaine du Pavillon Meursault 2007: From 30-year-old vines. Not yet bottled. Less expressive on the nose than some of the preceding wines. Rather more linear than I expected, and also a somewhat better composition than the Chassagne and Puligny. It is actually quite rich and substantial on the palate, showing good but gentle acidity, a ripe and full texture, and a fatter feel. This was popular among fellow tasters, but although similarly scored I just preferred the Chassagne. 16-16.5+/20

Albert Bichot Domaine du Pavillon Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches 2007: The fruit for this cuvée comes from a plot less than 1 hectare in size, replanted from Pinot Noir to Chardonnay in 1997-8. So these are young vines. There is a slightly steely edge to the nose here, with a little twist of vanilla on the side, and a talcy-chalky edge. Notes of stone and then beeswax appear. This has an elegant start on the palate, really attractive, with good grip beneath a gently creamy, sappy, textured mouthfeel in the middle. This is a wine with a fine presence and yet is also very approachable. 17-17.5+/20

Albert Bichot Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru La Maltroie 2007: This wine has fabulous expression, with gritty oaked fruit on the nose, augmented by smoke, bread, honey, cereal and nut elements. The nose has a very warm and open style, and the palate is no different. It has a very ripe and rich style, with lots of good grip and acidity; this is a very substantial wine. Big, grippy and flavoursome on the finish. It seems different, stylistically, to some of the other wines in the line-up, and a touch bitter in the finish. Nevertheless, great potential here. 16.5-17+/20

Albert Bichot Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Garennes 2007: A very pure character here, defined, honey-tinged, gentle and yet broad. It has a touch less concentration on the palate than I expected from the nose, but it has good definition and balanced acidity. Honey nut character, golden oak, and a great grippy finish. This is very stylish. 17-17.5+/20

Albert Bichot Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Perrières 2007: Pure and minerally honey here, with some oatmeal, this wine has a very linear style. Classically composed, defined, with lots of grippy structure, precise, pure and firm. This is a vigorous wine which somehow still manages to brim with elegance, and overall this is delightfully put together. 17.5-18+/20

Albert Bichot Domaine du Pavillon Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes 2007: From 40-year-old vines. This has a rather lively nose, expressive, with notes of honeycomb and acacia first, then elements of sun-dried fruits and nuts. It is all very suggestive of warm, summer sunshine. The palate is fine, with a more supple finesse than in some preceding wines. There is good acidity, a finer balance than I was expecting perhaps indicative of the quality of the terroir. Intense, substantial and yet with plenty of freshness and a great finish. This is fine stuff. 17.5-18+/20

Albert Bichot Domaine du Pavillon Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2007: The fruit comes from the Ladoix side of the Corton vineyard which is south-facing, and Bichot is usually the first to harvest here in order to maintain freshness in the finished wine. The nose seems minerally, pure, aromatic, citrusy and it is certainly fresh. No surprise then that the palate follows in the same vein, pure and elegant, defined on entry, with bright midpalate grip. This has a much more mouth-filling capability than the preceding wines, and a fine composition. It is rather tighter and less expressive, but linear and clearly crystalline. Fine potential here. 18-18.5+/20

Albert Bichot Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2007: This wine has a little more intensity than the Corton-Charlemagne on the nose, and yet it is still very well defined and pure. On the palate it has a bigger impact, with a full midpalate, rich and weighty from the outset. through to the finish it has a huge presence, complete and yet balanced, structured and substantial, with delightful elements of peach-skin fruit. These two wines will no doubt appeal to different palates in different ways, but on this tasting I prefer this one, just a little. Great wine. 18-19+/20