Grands Crus sell for up to 35,000 euros per barrel, but to benefit good works: annual meeting of luxury and charity, the Hospices de Beaune wine sale opens this Sunday, November 19 in the presence of the largest buyers in the world .
More than 800 bidders from Europe, America and increasingly from Asia will gather once again at 2:30 p.m. in the “capital” of Burgundy wines, Beaune (Côte d’Or), in the hope of winning a prestigious Pommard. Corton or another Meursault.
The income generated is allocated to the conservation of heritage such as the medieval Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune, but also to the modernization of the equipment of the four hospitals and six nursing homes that the Hospices have, or one thousand beds.
A “piece”, as a barrel is called in Burgundy, costs more and more: from 2018 to 2022, the average price has more than doubled, going from 16,849 to 35,980 euros for the equivalent of 288 75 cl bottles. And yet, what is sold is only an early wine, fresh from the harvest.
To the awarded price we must add not only the auction commissions but also the cost of aging in barrels, for one to two years, and then bottling.
29 million in 2022
This does not stop increasing demand: in 2022, the sale raised almost 29 million euros, more than double the record of 2018 (14 million).
A new high seems difficult this year because the 2023 harvest provided fewer barrels than in 2022: 753 versus 817.
“The bunch harvest was abundant,” but many grapes had to be discarded because they rotted due to storms or withered due to heat waves, explained Ludivine Griveau, manager of the Hospices wine estate, which spreads over 60 hectares.
However, the smaller number of lots could make the average price of the piece, given the great enthusiasm of fans, even more difficult to stop because it is a good cause.
In fact, the institute does not receive any state aid for these expenses, financed entirely with the vineyards entrusted as legacies and donations to the establishment since its foundation in 1443.
Charitable causes
In addition, and like every year, the oldest charity wine auctions in the world, started in 1859, reserved the largest lot for a cause other than the Hospices.
For this 163rd edition, it is to “age well” that it will benefit from an exceptional barrel, both in terms of content (a Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru) and packaging: the “piece” has been molded in a 220 Oak of several years used in the reconstruction of the spire of Notre-Dame de Paris.
“15.5 meters of this oak was used for the arrow and the rest, about 4 meters, was enough for a barrel,” explains Antoine de Thoury, president of the Cadus cooperage, which manufactured the barrel.
Proceeds from this sale will be donated to two associations: the Foundation for Medical Research (FRM) and the Research Initiative on Healthy Longevity (IRLB).
The sale of this barrel, called the “charity coin” or “president’s coin”, traditionally represents the highlight of the auction.
Reserved for sick children last year, it was sold for 810,000 euros, that is, more than 2,800 euros per bottle.
To promote this auction, it will be presented by Thierry Lhermitte, the actor of the favorite film “Le Père Noël est une ordure” or “Bronzés”, as well as by Michel Cymes, doctor and presenter of health programs on the small screen. The first is the sponsor of the FRM, the second of the IRLB.
Source: BFM TV
