Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys

Albert Bichot

The first traces of the Bichot family date back to 1214. They settled in Burgundy in 1350 in their fief of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. The family’s coat of arms has not changed since nor has its symbol a doe (biche). In 1831 Bernard Bichot founded a wine trading business in his name in Monthélie. His son Hippolyte succeeded him and bought the first vines in Volnay already convinced that upstream control was essential. His son Albert Bichot the first to bear the name gave the family business new momentum in the late 19th century and settled in the centre of Beaune once and for all in 1912. The second Albert Bichot who was born in 1900 was a pioneer of international commerce. North America Asia Oceania… He travelled incessantly in order to introduce our wines which were already recognized as being among the best to wine lovers around the world. In the second half of the 20th century his four sons Albert Bernard Bénigne and Jean-Marc inherited this know-how. A new era of expansion began with the construction of a large ageing cellar a new bottling centre and winery. Our wines were available in all of the world’s continents. After having gone off to discover the world (from the Arctic to Adélie Land) Albéric Bichot joined the company in the early 90s and took over its management in 1996. Though he fully respects family traditions he is completely focused on the future. He compares himself to the conductor of an orchestra proud to bring people and their talents together over a common project. The challenges are numerous: converting to organic viticulture in the Côte-d'Or vineyards on-going adaptation to new markets increasing the prestige and exposure of Burgundy wines and much more. Convinced that the quality of wine depends on the quality of the grapes he has focused on developing the upstream control that was undertaken in the 1980s. He secured supplies and began to expand our vinification capacity and the ageing cellars in 2010. The company’s vineyards now total 6 estates that cover Burgundy from north to south.