Hospices sale fails to reach heights of 2015

The 2016 Hospices de Beaune sale did not match the heights of last year’s auction but it still realised €8.4 million – one of the highest totals on record.

Last year’s sale was held in the immediate wake of the Paris attacks and was undoubtedly boosted by the announcement that proceeds of the ‘Piéce des Présidents’ would go towards helping victims of the atrocity.

In the end it sold for €480,000 in a sale that realised €11.3m. With such a high bar it was unlikely that this year’s sale – despite encouraging reports over the quality of the wine – could quite match what went before.

Nonetheless, the final tally of €8.4m, despite being down 25% compared to last year, is the second-highest totals ever achieved by the Hospices and this year’s President’s Barrel, a Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, still sold for €200,000.

A total of 470 barrels of red wine were sold this year and 126 of white, in all 21 more barrels than were sold last year. The average price per barrel was €13,833 – or €48.03 per bottles.

Asian buyers far outnumbered US clients by a 20% share to 3% but Europeans and négociants, the former representing 77% of the buyers and the latter buying 80% of the lots, dominated the sale.

Despite the lower total figure, Aline Sylla-Walbaum, director of Christie’s Wine Department, said it was: “The best tribute we could have made to the memory of Antoine Jacquet.”

Jacquet, president of the Hospices for nearly 30 years, died very suddenly while in China earlier this year on a promotional tour for the auction.

Ludivine Griveau, director of Domaine des Hospices de Beaune, said: “We are very happy with the results this year, despite a rather chaotic spring which was compensated for by favourable weather in July, August and September, which allowed us to harvest the grapes at an excellent level of maturity. 

“I am convinced that the vintage will deliver some exceptional wines. I would like to thank in particular the team of 23 winemakers and above all the team at the Hospices de Beaune.”

 Proceeds of this year’s Presidents Barrel will go towards the ‘Coeur et Recherches’ foundation for research in the field of cardiovascular diseases and the ARC foundation for cancer research.