Domaine de Bichery
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After extensive studies at prestigious winemaking institutions in Beaune and Switzerland and a gig at Chateau Pape Clement, Raphael Piconnet decided he’d be better off making wine like his grandfather, who spent his life rejecting the modern shortcuts of the 20th century. In 2013, he returned with his wife to the Aube to take over the family winery, where they’ve become one of the finest practitioners of low-intervention winemaking in Champagne.
The Piconnet family has tended vines in the Cote des Bar for three generations, dating back to Raphael’s grandfather, Charles, a dedicated farmer who ultimately sold his grapes to the local cooperative. Charles Piconnet chose a life in his vineyards, faithfully replanting from his own massale selections while his neighbors often reached for more productive clones.
Despite the family history, the story of Domaine de Bichery starts in 2013 when Raphael returned from his formal studies in Beaune and Switzerland. Tremendously inspired by the work and life of his grandfather, Raphael began converting the family’s entire production to organics. They achieved Ecocert certification in 2019 and are currently members of the Association des Champagnes Biologiques, where they are joined by a like-minded group of progressive wineries in Champagne (names like Charles Dufour, Amaury Beaufort, and Georges Laval).
Work in the cellar is decidedly hands-off, with some cuvees being vinified entirely without sulfur. The domaine is 8.5 hectares large, spread across 10 separate parcels, some of which are vinified into single-vineyard bottlings. Each wine is from a single vintage, something Raphael sees as a great challenge—starting fresh each year. Additionally, everything at Bichery is bottled Brut Nature.
