Santenay Premier Cru Hospices de Beaune 2016, Cuvée Fouquerand, 1,5l.

Santenay Premier Cru Hospices de Beaune 2016, Cuvée Fouquerand, 1,5l.

The history of the “Hospices de Beaune”

The history of the Hospices de Beaune 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 “156th Hospices de Beaune 2016”

The vintage

2016 was a challenging vintage for the winegrowers. The changing temperatures during the growth phase, cold in the morning and warm in the evening, demanded a lot of knowledge and work from the winegrowers to achieve the best possible results. A glorious late summer gave the grapes the eagerly awaited “finishing touches” and ensured a very high-quality harvest for those who are among the best in their field. “Qualité en Primeurs” is the motto; only the best grapes are selected from the harvest and matured into the world’s excellent premium wines. This year, the Christies auction house will once again be taking over a growing share of the wine auction, which should further fuel the price trend. A further innovation by the committee of the “Hospices de Beaune” will also ensure excitement, with only around 60% of the yield in the respective vintage being released for auction, while the remaining 40% will be held back until the year of bottling and then auctioned, which will further strengthen the high demand.