Albert Bichot, head of technical operations at the eponymous Beaune negociant company died last Wednesday 23rd May at the age of 87. He will be remembered for his 40 years of work expanding the company’s export business and his contribution to the international reputation of Burgundy fine wines.
Albert Bichot was the eldest of the fifth generation to manage the famous Maison Albert Bichot. Founded in 1831, Albert oversaw the export side of the business for nearly 45 years.
A graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Dijon, Albert spent two years learning about the world of wine sales and export while working for an importer in Germany and a distributor in England. After this, he joined the family business at the time run by his father Albert and his brother Bernard.
After serving his country in Algeria, Albert returned to Beaune to take over the sales department at Maison Albert Bichot under the title of Chairman of the Supervisory Board, a position he kept until the beginning of the 1990s. Convinced by the potential of Chablis wines that he saw as a major lever in international development, he also was handed the post of head of the Chablis committee at the professional body of the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne during the 1980s.
Albert’s legacy lives on and his work has ensured the company’s continued independence. Managed today by his nephew Albéric Bichot, Maison Albert Bichot owns six domains and 105 hectares of vines planted in some of Burgundy’s finest appellations.
We are delighted to be able to work with this reputable Burgundy institution that figures as one of our partner domains. In the summer of 2016, Maison Albert Bichot even welcomed us all to Beaune for a magnificent visit and tasting. The thoughts of the directors and the whole iDealwine team are with Albéric and his employees at this sad time.
Learn more about Maison Albert Bichot
Other things to read on the iDealwine blog:
Bichot: when Burgundy comes to London
Maison Albert Bichot: United in diversity
