Hospices: ‘super’ Burgs for savvy buyer

2014 is a “really good” vintage in Burgundy if you know where to look, according to Anthony Hanson MW, who gave db his top tips for November’s Hospices de Beaune annual charity auction.

The Hospices de Beaune was founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy, as a hospital for the poor.

Admitting that there are “ups and downs” among the wines produced from this year’s harvest in Burgundy, he said that the “focused” buyer could pick up some of the best wines Hanson has ever seen from the Hospices sale, which comprises wines from 58 hectares across Burgundy, 88% of which are grand and premier cru.

Looking at the less expensive end of the auction, Hanson told db last week in London that the Monthélie and Savigny were first rate, and said that the Santenay “was the best ever made since it was given to the Hospices in 2010.”

Considering the pricier end of the Hospices’ holdings, he described the grands crus Corton, Echézeaux, Mazis-Chambertin and Clos de la Roche as “super”.

In particular, he said there were 29 barrels of Mazis-Chambertin, compared to just 20 in 2013, and described 2014 as a “lovely year for Mazis: it is already delicious and this is a wine for the long term”.

As for the whites, Hanson described 2014 as a “sound vintage”, noting that the Hospices had produced a “fragrant, fruity Pouilly-Fuissé”, as well as a “delicious” Beaune Blanc, which he said was a new cuvée for this year.

Meanwhile, he said the Meursaults were “concentrated” due to low yields.

Overall, Hanson said that this year’s vintage in Burgundy “started very well” with flowering in April and May taking place in “perfect conditions”, ensuring even ripening.

However, he recorded a deterioration of the weather in July, with cloudy conditions persisting throughout the month and into the first half of August, although this was followed by clear skies and sunny days from 27^th August, providing ideal harvesting conditions.

Hanson also noted the “terrible hailstorm” on 28 June which “destroyed half the production in some parts of Beaune,” although he stressed that some areas, such as Savigny, Corton and Bâtard-Montrachet were “not affected”.

In terms of overall quantity, Hanson said that the Hospices had 543 barrels of wine this year, which was 20% more than last year, when there were just 443 barrels in the sale.

This year’s total however is still lower than an average of 650 barrels produced by the Hospices.

Speaking more generally about the vintage, Hanson said that the “whole of the Côte de Nuits was good quality with good yields”.

While he warned that there may be some “dilution” in the wines produced in the northern part of the Côte d’Or, he insisted this would not be an issue for the wines in the Hospice auction, due to a policy since the late 90s to reduce yields through severe winter pruning.

He also said that the wine from the Hospices, which is made in a winery in Beaune, “had really started to improve from 2007 onwards”, due to a modernisation of the cellar facilities and “more severe selection in the vineyards and the winery”.

From last year he said there had been “further modernisation” and “more sorting”, and in particular, the complete absence of pumping in the winery.

“2014 is the second year of 100% gravity conveyance of the grapes,” he stated.

This year’s auction takes place on Sunday 16 November, and will be the 145^th wine sale in the Hospices’ history.

When asked why private collectors might be interested in bidding for wine at the Hospices sale, Hanson said the auction offered people the chance to get behind the scenes of Burgundy and give money to a good cause, as well as buy an entire barrel of wine in a region where high quality wine is in short supply.

Hanson is author of Burgundy, and senior consultant to Christie’s International Wine Department as well as the Hospices de Beaune auction, which the auction house has organised since 2005.