63RD HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES WINE AUCTION

A SUPERB VINTAGE, AND A GREAT AMBASSADOR FOR BURGUNDY!

The 63rd edition of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges Wine Auction will be held on Sunday 10 March, 2024. As every year, it will take place at the Château du Clos de Vougeot and will be streamed live on: www.interencheres.com.

The auction is open to all, both for the charity pièce, sold by the bottle at a set price by subscription, and for the lots going under the hammer on behalf of the hospital.

THE 2023 VINTAGE: THE UNIQUE SIGNATURE OF GREAT BURGUNDY WINE

“A year that is exceptional in terms of identity, without comparison with its predecessors, which will delight both those in a hurry, and those who have the patience to wait until the wines reach their peak, in ten or twenty years’ time.”

Jean-Marc Moron, Technical Manager of the estate.

2023 is a generous vintage of remarkable balance, giving wines that are typically Burgundian in character, in what were extraordinary climatic conditions. Once again, it was a magnificent year in terms of both quantity and quality, offering wines with perfect balance between power and freshness that incarnate all the excellence of Burgundy.

The chaotic weather caused the viticultural teams at Domaine des Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges many sleepless nights but, when the harvest came around, the grapes were abundant, in superb condition and at perfect maturity. The 2023 harvest has therefore provided us with a gratifying volume for sale – a total of 150 pièces across 19 different cuvées, representing the diversity and authenticity of each cru.

The wines are all excellent representatives of the authenticity of their terroir, characterised by exceptional qualities – immense freshness, refined, restrained power, and superb balance – that are the signature of great Burgundy. Astonishingly, they have unusually high PH levels, but this has no incidence on their Burgundian character, full of finesse and elegance.

TWO EXCEPTIONAL CUVÉES:

HARNESSING CREATIVITY TO REVEAL THE INTRINSIC QUALITIES OF THE TERROIRS

In recent years, the ancestral Domaine des Hospices de Nuits has boldly embraced innovation in its winemaking, to reveal all the beauty and diversity of its exceptional terroir. This has led to the creation of two new cuvées in less than three years, which is extremely rare for a venerable landmark whose history goes back to 1270.

THE “CUVÉE DES BIENFAITEURS”

A MOSAIC OF THE DOMAINE DES HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES TERROIR

For the third year running, the Charity Pièce is a unique blend of the estate’s nine Premier Crus, baptised the “Cuvée des Bienfaiteurs”. This unique wine is a veritable mosaic of the Nuits-Saint-Georges terroir. It expresses all the character of the appellation and the singularity of each of the crus that make up the blend, whilst highlighting the character of the vintage. The wine of 2023 exudes finesse and elegance, with rich, deep aromas and a dense texture, prolonged by a long finish.

This third vintage therefore promises to be just as splendid as its two predecessors. It is an unparalleledwine destined for cellaring, representing a unique opportunity to constitute a magnificent vertical of vintages over time.

THE CUVÉE “HOMMAGE À HUGUES PERDRIZET”

MADE EXCLUSIVELY FROM OLD VINES ON THE DOMAINE DES HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES ESTATE

The 63rd Wine Auction will also be presenting the second vintage of the Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges “Sélection de Vieilles Vignes”, Cuvée Hugues Perdrizet. It pays tribute to the very first donor of vines to the Domaine des Hospices de Nuits.

Made from a rigorous selection of the estate’s oldest vines on the Saint-Georges parcel, this wine is already magnificent even in its youth, and promises to be an all-time great for those with the patience to wait. With rich, powerful, complex aromas, and incredible length, this wine is a real gem at the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges wine auction. With this new vintage, it offers an expression of great refinement, with immense power and complexity that merits several years’ cellaring

SUSTAINING THE MOMENTUM BUILT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS

For the fifth year in succession, the Wine Auction will be headed by a duo that has successfully injected new momentum into the traditional wine auction: auctioneer Hugues Cortot and wine expert Aymeric de Clouet.

.By putting an end to the traditional candle auction and introducing live streaming on the internet, the auction of each pièce as a separate lot, and now the creation of two brand new wines – the Cuvée Hugues Perdrizet and the Cuvée des Bienfaiteurs – the Wine Auction continues to innovate and modernise year after year.

This approach has been crowned with success in recent years, with strong growth over the last 4 years.

The 2023 edition was no exception, attaining a record €3,603,000. In four years, the result has increased by 123%, with consistent and continued growth each year, and the average price per pièce has more than doubled during the same period (€22,519 in 2023 versus €9,728 in 2019). In 2023 the Charity Pièce, the “Cuvée des Bienfaiteurs”, attained a new historic record, raising €64,580 for the benefit of the charity “Les Blouses Roses”.

Another strong sign of the enthusiasm for the wines of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges is the increasing number and diversity of buyers since 2020, most notably with growing interest from Chinese buyers.

With the superb 2023 vintage, the organisers are hoping that the 63rd Auction will meet with the same success as in previous years.

HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES : THE HOSPITAL AND THE WINE ESTATE THE HOSPITAL

It was in the 13th century, around 1270, that the Hospices de Nuits was founded, as Saint Louis IX’s reign drew to a close and Robert II, Duke of Burgundy, came to power. So this hospital-vineyard actually came into existence two centuries before its illustrious neighbour, the Hospices de Beaune, which was establishedin 1443. Less well-known but just as prestigious, the Hospices de Nuits operates in exactly the same way, combining a medical establishment with a high-quality wine-growing estate.

THE HOSPITAL

The Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges hospital was originally a lazaretto, a home for lepers. It opened in 1270 and was completely destroyed during civil and religious wars. In 1633, the hospital, boasting just four beds, moved to a modest house on the banks of Le Meuzin, purchased by Guillaume Labye, the King’s crown prosecutor. The site being unsuitable, in 1684 the decision was taken to relocate the esta- blishment. So, in 1689, construction began on the current hospital, under the responsibility and devotion of the chaplain Antide Midan. The Saint-Laurent ward, with its 16 beds, thus opened in 1692. Over time, the lazarettos of neighbouring parishes were attached to it and a Management Committee made up of Nuits dignitaries was created. This would guarantee its financial autonomy and, despite difficulties, the establishment is still running, mainly thanks to donations which gradually built up the estate. The hospital is now a public health facility that has been part of the Hospices Civils de Beaune since January 1,2016.

From December 2016 to July 2018, work was carried out as part of the construction of new facilities that would bring together all activities on the same site. The new Saint-Laurent hospital opened its doors on Tuesday, September 4, 2018, in premises offering all the comfort and security of a modern and adapted care and reception establishment. One of the main challenges with this architectural project was in uniting everyone involved around a common goal: supporting and caring for the elderly in the best possible way. To achieve this, two new buildings have opened. The first houses 80 beds, transferred over from the old site, and the second, near the winery, combines the logistical functions of laundry, kitchen, store and workshop. These new, more functional buildings were financed thanks to accumulated excess revenue of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges’ wine-growing estate.It was in the 13th century, around 1270, that the Hospices de Nuits was founded, as Saint Louis IX’s reign drew to a close and Robert II, Duke of Burgundy, came to power. So this hospital-vineyard actually came into existence two centuries before its illustrious neighbour, the Hospices de Beaune, which was establishedin 1443. Less well-known but just as prestigious, the Hospices de Nuits operates in exactly the same way, combining a medical establishment with a high-quality wine.

THE HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES WINE ESTATE

The wine estate is an integral part of the hospital with its own operational budget. Four vineyard workers are employed on a full-time basis. Some seasonal work is carried out by a viticultural contractor and around 40 extra hands are taken on during the harvest.

Covering more than 12 hectares, the Domaine des Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges is mainly comprised of crus of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation, notably six village appellations and nine Premiers Crus that cover a large part of the appellation’s slopes and terroirs. This prestigious vineyard produces 18 wines, one of which is in the ‘monopole’ of the Nuits-Saint- Georges 1 er cru “Les Didiers”. The vineyard manager Jean-Marc Moron keeps a close eye on each parcel. The hospital’s historic vine holdings have been built up over time, following the Burgundy tradition, thanks to numerous donations and bequests since 1633, particularly of vines since 1688, with two plots donated by Mr Hugues Perdrizet. Over the centuries these were followed by donations from local families, the most recent being the Gevrey-Chambertin “Champs-Chenys” by Mrs Irène Noblet, and parcels of Nuits by the Jeanniard family.

There are spiritual motivations for donating these vines, but also a desire to ensure a renewable income, in order to improve the conditions in which patients and the elderly are received at the hospital. This chari-table impulse has continued through the centuries and its effect endures to this day, with the annual profits from the estate providing considerable support for hospital investments. In order to pay tribute to the generosity of donors, it was agreed to sell a charity piece each year for the benefit of a charity devoted to a humanitarian or medical cause.

CHANGE…

Society is evolving, the Hospital is evolving, the world of wine is evolving.

The Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges is also undergoing change. A new building was inaugurated in 2018 and the modernisation process continues to better adapt care to patients’ needs. The historic hospital building is in the course of being sold to a developer who will preserve its heritage by creating housing whilst respecting and protectingthe classified elements of this emblematic building…. in a spirit of continuity.

The Hospices de Nuits has a distinct identity and values that it has upheld since its creation in 1270. It is important not to forget this history, which has enabled the site to serve the population throughout the centuries. The 63rd Wine Auction is therefore an opportunity to perpetuate the institution’s special character and its place in the life and landscape of Nuits-Saint-Georges.

This year we are supporting the Drevon Foundation, an organisation that is well known in the Côte d’Or. It has also evolved and reoriented its activities in recent years, whilst continuing to support local health provision, in particular financial support for young medical researchers in Burgundy.

Let’s hope that the sale of this magnificent 2023 edition will permit us both to pursue our efforts.

Mr Guillaume Koch – Director

©Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges/Studio Morfaux /Studio Morfaux

THE 2023 VINTAGE: GENEROUS BY NATURE

Jean-Marc Moron, Domaine des Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges technical manager and wine expert Aymeric de Clouet, present the characteristics of the vintage.

2023 was a remarkable year from all points of view. The climatic conditions were totally unique, presenting multiple risks which were finally overcometo result in an incomparable wine. Whilst on the face of it the analyses appeared unbalanced, the wines on the contrary have proved to be both powerful and fresh.

As soon as the foliage started to unfurl, it was clear that the grapes would be abundant. The decision was therefore taken to carry out severe disbudding, followed in July by green harvesting in numerous parcels to keep yields at a reasonable level.

The season was late starting, with the vegetative cycle being somewhat behind in mid-May, but it suddenly accelerated with a rapid spurt of growth towards the end of the month when temperatures reached summer levels of heat. Flowering took place in June in favourable conditions, which allowed the grapes to swell rapidly, followed by a period of calm. The berries started to change colour at the beginning of August, but the process was slow, and was only completed around 20 August in the midst of a heatwave. There was a week’s respite, with cooler conditions, before a second wave of hot weather brought the harvest to maturity.

On 13 September, the grape-pickers began their work under clement skies. Through a mix of fine weather and showers, they worked diligently for ten days. As predicted, the harvest was abundant, but some scorched grapes had to be eliminated by sorting both on the vine and in the cellar.

The winemaking went without a hitch, with shorter macerations than in 2022, and even less cap punching. The wines were transferred into barrel in mid-October, looking brilliant and beautifully clear, and malolactic fermentations kicked in after barely a month, finishing in mid-December for all the wines. As a result of rigorous sorting, there are fewer pieces than last year, with 150 barrels being offered for auction.

The results of tasting were in spectacular contradiction with the analyses. In spite of high pH levels, the wines showed all the characteristics of freshness, balance and typicity of the terroir, with no hint of this being a hot vintage. On the contrary, as ambassadors of Burgundy and its climats, each wine proudly carries its own identity, reflecting an entire year of work and meticulous attention to detail.

A year that is exceptional in terms of identity, without comparison with its predecessors, which will delight both those in a hurry, and those who have the patience to wait until the wines reach their peak, in ten or twenty years’ time.

150 BARRELS FOR AUCTION

The 2023 harvest has enabled 150 barrels to be put up for auction:147 of red wine and 3 of white wine.

THE CHARITY PIÈCE:

THE “CUVÉE DES BIENFAITEURS”, MADE FROM A UNIQUE BLENDOF THE ESTATE’S NINE PREMIERS CRUS.

As is the case every year, this auction is a chance for the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges to support an association by donating the profits from the auction of a pièce of wine: the Charity Pièce.

On the 2021 vintage, for the first time in the estate’s history, the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges presented for auction an unprecedented and outstanding charity pièce, created specially for the occasion: a Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier cru made from a blend of the estate’s nine premier crus.

Building on its success, this cuvée is the charity wine for the 3rd year running.

With this unique cuvée, the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges aims to express the full character of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation, while also highlighting the vintage.

Its subtle blending is a reflection of the vintage but also the expression of each cru, combining the qualities of the northern and southern crus, the high and low hillsides, the old and very old vines. With the 2023 vintage, this wine is full of finesse and elegance, in perfect harmony with its highly complex character, its powerful, intense nose, and its depth of aromas and dense texture, prolonged by superb length.

The third edition of this cuvée promises to be just as promising as previous vintages. It is a unique wine that you should absolutely have in your cellar in anticipation of a fabulous vertical of future vintages. For this 63rd edition of the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges Wine Auction, this charity pièce will be sold for the benefit of the Clément-Drevon Foundation, whose mission is to support medical research in the Burgundy Franche-Comté region, with the aim of improving access, quality, relevance and safety of care.

THE CLÉMENT-DREVON FOUNDATION

Founded in 1913, the Clément-Drevon Foundation is today devoted to supporting medical research in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, with the aim of improving access to healthcare, its quality, pertinence, and security.

The foundation also seeks to support young medical researchers by helping to finance their mobility so that they can learn new techniques for the benefit of local users.

It also contributes to patient care through the creation of health databases, and research into person-centred care, including health educationand prevention.

With the proceeds from the charity pièce of the 63rd Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges wine auction, the Clément-Drevon Foundation wishes to consolidate its support for medical research bycontributing to the training costs of young medical researchers and helping them set up in the region, for the benefit of the region’s urban and rural populations.

The Foundation has just completed the first call for applications for young researchers’ trainee programmes, and has approved the five submissions received and validated by Dijon University Hospital and the University of Bourgogne.

These five projects are focussed on major medical problems affecting the public, such as cancer, lymphomas, serious infections, and iatrogenic problems (disorder resulting from medication or medical treatment).

The training programmes in question are run by prestigious universities such as Stanford, Oxford, Gothenburg and Geneva, which explains their high cost and the need for special funding.

A WORD FROM THE AMBASSADOR, ÉRIC LAUGÉRIAS

“I am lucky to be in very good health, with good genes. But, as in all families, some of my family members have been affected by serious illness, and I’m deeply sensitive to such issues. At the age of 10 I might have said ‘I want to be a doctor’, but in the end, being an actor is not so different from being a doctor. Bringing a smile, helping others to feel better (…). Unlike the style of medicine of old, which was somewhat self-important and had very little room for doubt, the research of today, as supported by the Clément-Drevon Foundation, is highly effective and indispensable. So I’m proud to stand with them. The foundation understands what needs to be done. It’s not an administrative body that creates paperwork for the sake of it. It lives in the real world, with a real vision of the problems facing medicine today. And then there’s Burgundy. With its amazing wines and world-class viticulture. A Burgundy that I have learned to appreciate even more since becoming a Chevalier du Tastevin. I’m passionate about wine, both those from here, and those from afar. (…)

Eric Laugerias

©Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges

63 ÈME VENTE DES VINS DES HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES

SUNDAY MARCH 10 2024 AT 2.30 PM

CHÂTEAU DU CLOS DE VOUGEOT

BURGUNDY,  France