It’s official: Bichot is best!
Alain Serveau, winemaker for Maison Albert Bichot has just been awarded an International Wine Challenge (IWC) trophy for White Winemaker of the Year.
Boasting more than 10,000 entries each year, the IWC has become renowned as one of the best and most influential blind tastings in the world. Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin and Joanna Simon are just three of the three hundred judges involved in the challenge which culminates in a black tie dinner and awards ceremony in London each September.
Alberic Bichot inherited the responsibility for the large family firm in 1996, at the age of just 32 years. Rather than rely on the traditional wholesale (Negoce) business model he realised that they had to control the quality of the raw materials in order to survive. This meant purchasing either land, or grapes when still on the vine and giving the team absolute control over the whole production process; from viticultural practices in the vineyards through to winemaking processes and bottling. So in 1997, Alberic hired Alain Serveau as Technical Director and Head Winemaker to make sure it happened.
Winemaker and buyer, Sophie Menegain explains: “This move was a rarity for Negociants - they normally just blend finished wines and bang a label on it! However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating so when Alain won the 'IWC Red Winemaker of the Year' in 2004 it was a great achievement in such a short time. When Alain also grabbed the 'IWC White Winemaker of the Year' at the awards ceremony last week, it was an incredible achievement indeed!”
She added: "Needless to say, I am delighted with this news and we should be honoured to be their main route to market in the UK On Trade. It’s a fantastic sales story for our customers."