Why it matters
The producer
Albéric Bichot describes his role as that of a conductor who brings people and their talents together around a project. He joined Albert Bichot in the early 1990s and became director in 1996. The house combines négociant work with wines from owned domaines across Burgundy.
Bernard Bichot founded the house as a négociant, and its headquarters moved to Beaune in 1912. A négociant works with grapes or wines beyond one estate's own parcels. The house faces challenges in organic transition, market adaptation and the elevation of Burgundy wines.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Chablis is home to Domaine Long-Depaquit; the other domaines reach Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise and Beaujolais. The Chablis estate covers 52.1 hectares. Moutonne occupies 2.35 hectares in the Chablis Grand Cru section. Grand Cru identifies a top vineyard category within an appellation, while monopole means one domaine controls the named site.
Moutonne lies in a natural amphitheater whose orientation provides exceptional solar exposure. This position contributes to aromatic persistence, ageing potential and extreme elegance.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range runs from regional Bourgogne wines to named Premier Cru and Grand Cru sites. Red bottles include Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes de Pinot Noir and Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru Les Malconsorts from Domaine du Clos Frantin. White bottles include Bichot Bourgogne Origines Chardonnay, Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots, Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaucopins, Chablis Premier Cru Les Lys and Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne.
These vineyard levels narrow the label from a broad regional wine to a specific site. Domaine Long-Depaquit uses low-intervention winemaking and wood sparingly for ageing to preserve the pure expression of each terroir.