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Six barrels of Bourgogne Côte d’Or Chardonnay “Secret de Famille” and one barrel of Santenay Rouge, Harvest 2025, set sail aboard the cargo sailing ship Grain de Sail II. Building on the success of the first crossing, Maison Albert Bichot is repeating this unique experience of aging wine at sea with more barrels and, for the first time, a red wine.
Saint-Malo, Sunday, January 25, 2026 - Securely moored on the deck, seven 228-liter barrels set sail on a transatlantic crossing punctuated by winds and currents. This year, the route extends to Pointe-à-Pitre, taking the expedition beyond New York and opening a new chapter in the House's maritime adventure.
For Maison Albert Bichot, this voyage is a veritable laboratory at sea, designed to observe the influence of the ocean on the evolution of white wines and, remarkably, a carefully selected red wine.
Albert Bichot & Grain de Sail, seven barrels facing the Atlantic.
The project began in March 2024, when Maison Albert Bichot, concerned about its environmental footprint, entrusted the cargo sailing ship Grain de Sail II with transporting a pallet of wines to be delivered to New York. This journey enabled eco-friendly transport, reducing CO2 emissions by 95% compared to conventional freight. Powered by the wind, the Grain de Sail II cargo ship offers a sustainable transport alternative that Maison Albert Bichot is delighted to support over the coming months for the shipment of its fine wines to the United States.
Wines shaped by the Ocean
The reason Maison Albert Bichot is repeating the sea aging experiment today is because the initial results proved particularly successful. The barrels of the Secret d'Océan cuvée from the previous voyage revealed a distinct expression compared to their counterparts aged in the cellar. Analyses and tastings revealed unexpected observations, such as more pronounced oxygenation in the barrels that remained in the cellar than those that had traveled at sea.
Beyond these technical findings, the ocean left its mark, bringing a delicate salinity, both lively and rich, which subtly highlights the purity of the Chardonnay. Encouraged by these convincing results, the teams are continuing their exploration, convinced that the sea can become much more than a means of transport: a true ally.
Santenay: a return to marine origins
Today, the exploration extends to a red wine: a Santenay produced from marl and oolitic limestone soils, a rock formed in a marine environment. This geological resonance gives the experience its full meaning.
Highlighting a wine born from ancient marine soils and the energy of the ocean is part of a strong exploration process. It is a matter of observing, whether the sea can reveal an additional nuance of the terroir, while respecting its Burgundian identity.
A new expression of Pinot Noir is waiting to be discovered.
Between Merroir and Terroir
Where terroir refers to the unique influence of soil, climate, and environment on the characteristics of a wine, merroir refers to the influence of water quality, algae, currents, and tides, as well as the mineral content of the seabed.
