Albert Bichot : Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits "Les Dames Huguettes" 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits "Les Dames Huguettes" 2023 Albert Bichot

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a ruby-red hue.

Nose

The nose opens on a fresh, fruity bouquet dominated by aromas of raspberry, blackcurrant, strawberry, and black cherry. Floral notes of rose and violet add elegance and complexity. Subtle herbal and menthol nuances complete the aromatic profile, underscoring the terroir’s hallmark minerality.

Palate

On the palate, the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits "Les Dames Huguettes" 2023 is generous and charming. Its silky, velvety texture coats the palate, while the tannins—present yet supple—provide balanced structure. The fresh, fruit-driven finish offers lovely persistence, with delicate notes of vanilla and candied fruit that reflect the barrel aging.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine is a perfect match for roasted or braised red and white meats. It also pairs very well with medium-intensity cheeses. Poultry, rabbit, or herb-seasoned lamb dishes make particularly harmonious pairings.

Serving and cellaring

The Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits "Les Dames Huguettes" 2023 is best enjoyed at a temperature of 14 to 15°C. This wine can be enjoyed young for its fruit or cellared to develop until around 2028.

A fresh, mineral Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits by Albert Bichot

The estate

Founded in 1831 in Monthélie by Bernard Bichot, the Albert Bichot Maison remains an independent family-owned company, now run by Albéric Bichot, representing the sixth generation. Based in Beaune since 1912, the Maison oversees six estate-owned domains spread across Bourgogne, from Chablis to Moulin-à-Vent, totaling around 107 hectares of vineyards. Albert Bichot stands out for its pioneering commitment to certified organic viticulture, completed across all its estates in 2024. The Maison has also developed innovative environmental initiatives, notably shipping its wines by cargo sailboat to drastically reduce its carbon footprint. Internationally recognized for the consistent quality of its wines, Albert Bichot embodies Burgundian excellence while placing sustainability at the heart of its philosophy.

The vineyard

This Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits comes from the Climat "Les Dames Huguettes", a particularly well-exposed terroir located on the plateau overlooking Nuits-Saint-Georges. The vines thrive at elevations between 300 and 400 meters on Jurassic clay-limestone soils composed of weathered limestone and marl. This higher altitude and favorable exposure create conditions in which the grapes ripen more slowly than in the Côte de Nuits, producing wines defined by pronounced freshness, vibrant acidity, and marked minerality.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage in Bourgogne proved exceptionally warm, statistically the hottest year ever recorded in the region. A mild, dry winter was followed by a contrasting spring, with early budbreak in early April and then a wet, challenging May. Flowering took place in late May under favorable conditions, despite a few localized hailstorms. Summer alternated between heatwaves and stormy episodes, with August swinging between cooler spells and intense heat. In early September, a sudden return to high temperatures accelerated sugar accumulation in the berries. This climatic variability required rigorous vineyard management and selective harvesting to remove fruit damaged by excessive sun exposure. Harvesting began in August for whites and continued in September for reds. The altitude of the Hautes-Côtes helped temper heat intensity and preserve the freshness characteristic of the appellation.

Winemaking and aging

Winemaking for the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits "Les Dames Huguettes" 2023 begins with temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless-steel tanks for 18 to 20 days, allowing optimal extraction of color and tannins. Aging then takes place over 12 to 14 months, split between oak barrels (40 to 50%) and stainless-steel tanks (50 to 60%). This mixed approach aims to balance the textural and aromatic contributions of oak with the preservation of the fruity character and mineral precision typical of the Hautes-Côtes terroir.

Grape variety

100% Pinot Noir