161st Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale

The 161st Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale on 21 November

to Present 349 Barrels and 5 Half Barrels from all 50 Cuvées Produced from the 2021 Harvest

– Sale of Unique ‘President’s Barrel’ to Benefit Organisations Championing Women’s Causes Represented by Jeanne Balibar and Pio Marmaï –

Hospices de Beaune
Beaune, France
Burgundy.
©fg-arttravelint.com / F.Glz 2019

The 161st edition of the annual Hospices de Beaune wine sale on 21 November 2021 will present a total of 50 different cuvées of the 2021 vintage – 33 red and 17 white – produced from vineyards across the Hospices’ 60-hectares of holdings. This year, 349 barrels and five half barrels are on offer, comprising 293 barrels and two half barrels of red wines; 56 barrels and 3 half barrels of white wines; and 7 barrels of spirits.

Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale
©fg-arttravelint.com / F. Glz 2019

As per tradition, in addition to the important funds from the auction raised for investment in the medical equipment and modernisation of the hospital buildings managed by the Hospices Civils de Beaune, the proceeds from the sale of one particular barrel, The Pièce de President, are donated to a specially nominated charity. This year, the funds from this special barrel will support two organisations that work tirelessly championing women’s causes: the National Federation Solidarity with Women represented by Jeanne Balibar, to help in their fight against violence towards women, and Institut Curie represented by Pio Marmaï, to benefit medical research against breast cancer.

Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale
©fg-arttravelint.com / F. Glz 2019

This special lot – a barrel of Corton Renardes Grands Cru 2021 – a unique cuvée aged in a barrel called “Fusion”. This barrel has been specially crafted by master tonnelier François Frères from a local Burgundian oak, taken from the nearby Forest of Cîteaux, using only wood of the very finest grain, selected with cutting-edge optical technology.

The Pièce de President
The Charity Barrel
©Photo: Michel Joly

Mario Tavella, President of Sotheby’s France and Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, said:

“Partnering with the Hospices de Beaune as we launch wine sales in France is as good as it gets and a huge privilege for us. Every year, the November sale is a celebratory moment in the global wine auction calendar, and for the 161st edition, we look forward to welcoming collectors, both old and new, in Beaune and online wherever they are in the world.”

Mr Poher, Director of Hospices de Beaune
©fg-arttravelint.com / F.Glz 2019

François Poher, Director and Chairman of the Board of Hospices Civils de Beaune, said:

“Those of us who make up the Hospices de Beaune today are the happy custodians of a centuries-old tradition characterised by humanity, generosity, respect for others and for oneself, and for all those who put their trust in us. This is a huge privilege and one that demands the utmost care when considering how the funds raised from the auction will be used.

“The income from this year’s sale will allow us to complete the reconstruction of our hospitals in Beaune and Seurre, all the while taking into account the lessons learned during the current health crisis. In addition, in January, we will launch a steering committee for our museum project for the Hôtel Dieu, unfortunately delayed by Covid 19. Last but not least, we are placing the relationship between health and the environment at the heart of our operations. At the estate we are already engaged in a bio-dynamic approach, and from early next year we will push even further into, what s for us, the only way of working when producing wine.

“Close to our hearts in our hospital vocation is the support of women and it is to them that we make the commitment of finding treatments to which they are entitled, to safely support the birth of their children, to treat specific diseases such as breast cancer, or providing help in emergencies when they have suffered as a result of violence. The proceeds of this sale and those to come will serve as the final stage in the reconstruction of our hospital, where we will isolate a sector where women and children can find a safe haven.”

Ludivine Griveau, vineyard-manager and winemaker Domaine des Hospices de Beaune
©Hospices de Beaune

Speaking about the 2021 vintage, Ludivine Griveau, winemaker of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune, said:

“This year’s vintage began under exceptional weather conditions towards the end of March, when abnormally high temperatures led to an explosion of growth on the vines. The challenges continued with the extreme frosts of early April over three successive nights, and the pressures of adhering to strict health protocols. We overcame all these difficulties, and without the use of synthetic chemicals, thanks to the united efforts of our team of twenty-three winegrowers and our fortuitously located plots of land, whose vines are mainly located on hillsides, providing good access in the event of bad weather.

“The seventeen whites are already showing an incredible balance and promise a very strong aromatic future – they are powerful and, above all, precise, with notes including fennel, pear and peach. They have a density in the mouth and good levels of acidity. Our only regret is that we have been able to produce very little in terms of quantities.

“As for the reds, the challenge was to preserve the beautiful aromatic intensities at the start of the fermentation process. The result is pure red wines which are energetic and rich in fruit, with noble textures and very silky tannins. Our thirty-three cuvées each have their own identity, and overall, they are both subtle and racy.”

Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s Wine, said:

“It is a very great honour for our wine team to present the 161st Vente des Vins. Our twenty-five specialists are in the midst of hosting nineteen tastings and dinners all around the world and are excited to be discussing how to participate in the sale with our clients. Every third Sunday in November, the Hospices de Beaune auction presents a unique opportunity to secure these exceptional wines that are so carefully crafted by Ludivine Griveau and her team. Demand for Burgundy is at an all-time high and we anticipate strong demand for the 2021 vintage.”

Hospices de Beaune
Beaune, France
Burgundy.
©fg-arttravelint.com / F.Glz 2019

Françoise Brié, Executive Director National Federation of Solidarity Women

To denounce violence against women and in particular domestic violence, a coordination of associations from the women’s movement was created in the late 1970s, to become the National Federation of Solidarity Women ( FNSF). At the end of the 1980s, the FNSF launched a communication campaign with the support of the public authorities, and in 1992 created the national listening number for women victims of domestic violence.

In 2021, the Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes is made up of 73 specialised and local associations that follow more than 35,000 women and children in reception and accommodation centres. They lead training, information and prevention actions. Solidarité Femmes 21 is one of them and operates in the Côte-d’Or department.

Professor Alain Puisieux, Director of the research center at the Institut Curie

The Institut Curie, France’s leading centre in the fight against cancer, combines an internationally renowned research centre and a state-of-the-art hospital complex which treats all cancers, including the rarest. Founded in 1909 by Marie Curie, the Institut Curie brings together 3,600 researchers, doctors and caregivers across three sites (Paris, Saint-Cloud and Orsay) around its three missions: care, research and teaching. A private foundation recognized as being of public utility authorised to receive donations and bequests, the Institut Curie can, thanks to the support of its donors, accelerate discoveries and thus improve treatment and the quality of life of patients. For more information: curie.fr

The Institut Curie needs help and resources to carry out this project. With the support of the sale of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, the Institut Curie could acquire a state-of-the arttumour cell microscope equipped with a sampling mechanism that will allow researchers to characterize the cells, essential equipment for the project. Budget for the microscope: 480,000 €

Yoohup by deuxFconcepts

This year, the Hospices Civils de Beaune are innovating and offering enhanced communication with a bottle of water bearing the image of the Hospices de Beaune, to be scanned. Download the Yoohup application, scan the logo printed on the bottle and the communication media, then view the video of the 161st Hospices de Beaune charity wine sale.

Hospices Civils de Beaune

The history of the Hospices Civils de Beaune began in 1443 with the wish of Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins to build a hospital: the Hôtel-Dieu. The founders’ charitable endeavour and act of patronage instituted a tradition that has allowed the Hospices de Beaune to flourish throughout history under exceptional conditions. Today, the Hospices Civils de Beaune includes the hospital centres of Beaune, Arnay-le-Duc, Seurre and Nuits-St-Georges. The Philippe Le Bon Hospital in Beaune is the support establishment of the Groupe–
ment Hospitalier de Territoire du Sud Côte-d’Or.

The uniqueness of this hospital institution lies in the importance and the nature of its patrimony, which consists on the one hand of a historical monument, the 15th-century Hôtel-Dieu, which no longer accommodates patients or elderly residents since the beginning of the 1980s; and on the other hand of a prestigious Vineyard in Beaune of 60 hectares of the best Burgundy appellations. All of these vineyards come from bequests and donations, and their production is sold each year at auction on the third Sunday of November, as part of
the most famous charity sale in the world. Thus, through its heritage, this hospital institution plays a leading role in the two major activities of Beaune and its region: Tourism and Wine.

The auction, which can include more than 500 lots, is the most famous and oldest charity wine auction in the world (established in 1859). In keeping with its founding values, each year the Hospices de Beaune supports a charity by donating the profits from the sale of a pièce of wine, known as the “President’s Pièce”. The proceeds from the sale of the wines are used to maintain the hospital’s heritage and to modernise its equipment and buildings.

About Sotheby’s Wine

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits totaled an outstanding $92 million in 2020, with over 15,000 lots sold across 41 sales – a nearly 50% increase in the number of auctions held in 2019. Over $60 million of wine and spirits were sold to online bidders in 2020 versus $28 million in 2019, with 85% of all lots offered finding online buyers. Demonstrating continued strength in Asia, Sotheby’s led the market in the region for the third consecutive year, with over 70% of the total bid amount in all Wine and Spirits sales attributed to collectors in Asia.

Sotheby’s Wine’s has had the privilege of auctioning numerous record-breaking wines and spirits in recent years, with 2020 alone witnessing new world auction records for any bottle of Japanese whisky, any bottle of whisky produced by the Dalmore Distillery, as well as any bottle of Cognac. Sotheby’s Wine currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most expensive bottle of spirits ever sold at auction.

In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. ExPertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with wine makers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.

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