Albert Bichot Cremant de Bourgogne Reserve Privee NV

The word ‘deluxe’ is often overused. Home ware stores and the like often refer to things like dishcloths as their ‘deluxe model’. It kind of de-luxes the product, no? So we aim to right that grave wrong by using it to describe Albert Bichot’s ‘Réserve Privée’. Bichot is a fantastic producer, whose wines we stock in abundance, and this is the aristocrat of its range of sparkling wines, or ‘crémants’ as they call them in Burgundy. With an iridescent, copper and gold-inflected jewel of a sparkler, unctuous flavours of toasty hazelnuts and honey, all balanced with crisp acidity, this crémant will leave you in no doubt of its ‘deluxe’ credentials.

The Bichot family, which has been established in Burgundy since 1350, and has been making wine since the 19th century, owns estates across the region and has been named both the Red Winemaker of the year (in 2004) and White Winemaker of the Year (in 2011) by the International Wine Challenge (IWC). Albéric Bichot, who took over in 1996, is the sixth generation of Bichots to run the House.

The average age of vines is 30 years old, but it isn’t rare to find 60 year old vines in some of their single vineyards such as “Le Clos des Ursulines” in Pommard. Each year, they replant approximately 2 to 3% of the vines, so that in the long term they are always in perfect health when they reach their optimal age. Each estate has its own vineyard team, who manages both the vines and the soil, and who have intimate knowledge of each parcel and of the vines that are planted there.
Each estate also boasts its own winery and cellars where a dedicated team vinifies each cru, under the direction of Alain Serveau, the Cellar Master (red wines from the Côte de Beaune are vinified at the Domaine du Pavillon winery).

Made with 66% Chardonnay and 33% Pinot Noir and aged on the lees for 20 months in cool cellars, the Réserve Privée has very fine, even bubbles and is an intense, golden yellow in colour, with copper highlights. It is unctuous on the palate (with flavours of hazelnut, honey) and nice acidity; a truly elegant wine.