Nuit-Saint-Georges

Albert Bichot's structural decision to vinify every wine at the estate closest to its source — rather than trucking fruit to a central Beaune facility — means this Nuits-Saint-Georges is made at Domaine du Clos Frantin, the house's 7.5-hectare Côte de Nuits holding whose marl-and-gravel soils sit among parcels that extend up to Grand Cru level (Chambertin, Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot). That marl-over-gravel profile delivers the characteristic Nuits tension: iron-edged density from the clay fraction, drainage-driven concentration from the gravel. Vinification follows a cold soak of 6–8 days before fermentation in thermoregulated conical oak vats, with 18–20 days total maceration to extract structure without astringency. Aging runs 12–16 months in light-toast Tronçais and Allier barrels at 20–30% new oak — calibrated to amplify terroir rather than impose a house signature, a deliberate counter-position to the heavier oak regimes common among large Burgundy négociants. What distinguishes this cuvée within the Bichot portfolio is its direct link to Clos Frantin's Grand Cru-adjacent parcels: the same winemaking team, the same cellar, the same gravity-racking protocol used for Richebourg handles this village wine. The 2022 vintage — hot, dry summer, early harvest — delivers ripe, supple tannins and generous fruit with enough structure for 5–8 years of development.