Albert Bichot Macon Villages

Albert Bichot has operated as a négociant-éleveur since Bernard Bichot founded the trading house in Monthélie in 1831, and the Maison's structural commitment — vinifying every wine at the estate closest to its source — means this Mâcon-Villages is handled at the facility nearest the Mâconnais, not centralised in Beaune. That logistical discipline is the same philosophy applied to Grand Cru; it simply scales down to village level. The Mâconnais sits on Jurassic limestone and clay soils, the same broad Kimmeridgian-influenced geology that runs south from Chablis, delivering the chalky tension that keeps southern Burgundy Chardonnay from tipping into flabbiness. Vinification follows Bichot's regional-white protocol: predominantly stainless steel fermentation (approximately 80%), with the remainder in used oak barrels, preserving primary fruit and site-driven texture without imposing wood. The 2022 vintage brought a hot, dry summer and early harvest, producing Chardonnay with generous, ripe fruit and a fuller body than the leaner 2021, yet retaining structural acidity. What distinguishes this expression within the négociant tier is Bichot's sourcing from long-term partner growers rather than spot-market fruit, giving consistency of site across vintages. Drink now through 2026 while the aromatic generosity of the vintage is at its peak.