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Hospices de Beaune announces one of its largest auctions ever
This year’s Hospices de Beaune sale, which takes place on 20 November, will offer one of the largest sales in the auction’s history, the organisers have said, with 802 Barrels from the 2022 harvest representing all 51 cuvées.
The sale, which will be live-streamed, comprises 620 barrels of red wines and 182 barrels of white wines from the Hospices’ 60-hectare holdings, which are in the second year of organic conversion. It includes two new cuvées: Corton Grand Cru cuvée Les Renardes and Beaune 1er cru Clos des mouches cuvée Hugues et Louis Bétault.
Presided over by presenter Flavie Flament and actor Benoit Magimel, the auction will pay tribute to the late Louis-Fabrice Latour, the head of Burgundy négociant Maison Louis Latour who died in September with a special charity barrel, the Pièce des Présidents (Presidents’ barrel).
The Hospice de Beaune has selected a barrel of a Corton grand cru from the hill of Corton as this year’s Presidents’ barrel – a blend of three of the domaine’s most beautiful terroirs, Corton Renardes, Corton Bressandes and Corton Chaume, which are aged in a special 228-litre barrel made by the tonellerie of the Maison Louis Latour.
The proceeds from the sale of this charity lot will go to the Princesse Margot Association, which support children with cancer, and the World Vision Organisation, which helps vulnerable children.
François Poher, director and chairman of the Board of Hospices Civils de Beaune, said the theme of the Hospices Civils de Beaune in 2023 was ‘hospitality’ – which would be exemplified by a ” more human commitment in all our activities”
“Our vocation is to combine health and the environment, and the winery is committed to organic conversion. We are a hospital and we care for the health of those who work in the vineyards, those who live around the vineyards and the health of our consumers,” he said. “We are committed to continually improving the conditions in which we welcome our visitors and buyers to the winery, particularly in preparation for the 162nd wine sale.
“Looking ahead to next year, for the first time the Hôtel Dieu museum will offer a cultural programme based on this major theme of the institution, including an exhibition of photographs retracing the history of the hospital sisters and numerous events such as a night at the museum.”
Ludivine Griveau, manager of the Hospices de Beaune wine estate said the 2022 vintage had been characterised by a mild climate, with a perfect start to the season in terms of rainfall, a wet spring and a dry and hot summer with some rain.
Bud-burst had come early with very generous fruit, and despite a big scare with the April frost, the harvest was “bountiful”, he said.
“From the start, the vines were in good shape and flowering took place under perfect conditions. The harvesting process was long, generous and healthy, beginning on 25 August in Pouilly-Fuissé, on 29 August in the Côte d’Or and ending on 16 September in Saint-Romain,” he said.
“To date, the whites of the 2022 vintage reveal a beautiful aromatic potential, with aromas of yellow fruit and a hint of aniseed. Our harvest date was optimal and allowed us to obtain a good balance between maturity and freshness. A cold maceration of the Pinot Noir grapes allowed us to extract beautiful dark ruby colours and intense aromas of black fruits. Silkiness is the key word of the 33 reds we have produced. Overall, this is a vintage with a thousand facets that once again allows each terroir to reveal its identity and will leave buyers with much to choose from.”
Last year’s sale – which was operated by Sotheby’s for the first time – raised €12.6 million, including a record price of €800,000 for the Presidents’ Piece.
Amayès Aouli, head of auction sales for Continental Europe, Sotheby’s Wine, said that this was despite last year’s sale seeing the smallest number of lots offered since 1977.
“The size of the vintage did nothing to dampen the appetite of the buyers who turned out in force,” she said.
“For the 162nd edition, our programme is just as ambitious, if not more so, as we turn a spotlight on the quality of the wines produced by Ludivine Griveau and her team, and the wonderful 2022 vintage. Since her first vintage in 2015, Ludivine has transformed both the winemaking and viticulture of the Hospices de Beaune estate, achieving spectacular results. And now that the estate is undergoing organic certification, the sky is the limit in the years to come.”
In 2018, 828 barrels were offered in the Hospices de Beaune sale.
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