Santenay Premier Cru 2012 Hospices de Beaune, Cuvée Fouquerand, 1,5l.

Santenay Premier Cru 2012 Hospices de Beaune, Cuvée Fouquerand, 1,5l.

The history of the “Hospices de Beaune”

The history of the Hospices de Be aune tradition goes back to the eponymous hospital for the poor and sick established in Beaune in the 15th century. Over the centuries, this hospice in the middle of the best vineyards in Burgundy received many of the best sites through donations and inheritances from well-off winegrowers and was soon able to cover its costs by selling wine. Even today, the proceeds from wine sales still benefit the hospital and other charitable organisations.

The event

And November of the year is already approaching, with the traditional wine auction taking place on the third weekend of the month. On the evening before the auction, the wines are tasted by wine critics and wine merchants, while wine merchants and connoisseurs from all over the world travel to the auction itself. Tickets and the right to take part in the auction are highly coveted. On the third day, the traditional “Pauleé of Mersault” closes the event. The auctioned wines are left to mature in barrels for 18 to 24 months before being bottled and delivered two years later in autumn.

The “152nd Hospices de Beaune 2012”

Vintage

2012 was an exciting vintage for the winegrowers, as the weather conditions – a rainy but mild spring and then a warm summer – could only be optimised with experience and skill. “Quality over quantity” was the motto, and despite lower yields, some of the best premium Hospices de Beaune wines were produced.

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Michael Broadbent writes: “We are not witnessing the end of the world in 2012, but a vintage that will certainly go down in history. This year’s mix of weather initially caused many wineries a headache, but ultimately it is here that the true value of tradition and knowledge is revealed.”