The Hospices de Beaune wine auctions, a meeting place for luxury and charity, open on Sunday under the sponsorship of Hollywood stars, including Eva Longoria and Jean Reno, called upon to push for a less extensive sale due to a harvest amputated by climatic hazards.
Nearly 700 bidders from Europe, America and increasingly from Asia will meet on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the « capital » wines from Burgundy, Beaune (Côte d’Or), hoping to get their hands on a prestigious Pommard, Corton or other Meursault. Around a hundred other buyers will be present online.
But a new sales record seems unattainable today, due to a limited number of lots.
Only 445 ” pieces “ (a 228 liter barrel or 288 75 cl bottles) will be offered for sale, plus three slips (half barrels), compared to 768 last year. This is the lowest number of lots in the history of the sale, after 2021 (356 pieces and five sheets).
The fault of extremely capricious weather which reduced the harvest “half of the usual”underlines to AFP Ludivine Griveau, manager of the Hospices wine estate, whose 60 hectares have gone organic this year.
“The excess precipitation was 37% in Burgundy-Franche-Comté”explains François Labet, deputy president of the Interprofessional Burgundy Wine Bureau (BIVB).
“We will of course not have an overall record”recognizes Guillaume Koch, director of the Hospices. Overall sales revenue peaked in 2022 at €29 million and €23.2 million last year.
“But I have a little hope that we are not far away” to establish a new record for the average price per item sold, adds Mr. Koch. The latter has already more than doubled, from 16,849 euros in 2018 to 35,980 euros in 2022.
Asia in the lead

A person smells wine, November 19, 2023 during the 163rd edition of the Hospices de Beaune auction / ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP/Archives
The director bases his optimism on the four stars invited to these auctions, the oldest in the world for wine.
The American Eva Longoria, known for having played in the series Desperate Housewives; the Frenchman Jean Reno, seen in The Big Blue or Mission Impossible; but also the Briton Dominic West, renowned for his role as Charles III in the series The Crown, and the Frenchwoman Zabou Breitman, will be there to push the stakes, in particular those of the “charity coin”a barrel reserved for a charity other than the Hospices.
The auction of this lot, traditionally the highlight of the sale, will benefit Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) and the Global Gift Foundation (GGF), which helps vulnerable children.
The record for a charity piece was reached in 2022 with 810,000 euros, or 2,800 euros per bottle.
In addition to this piece, the proceeds from the sale help finance the infrastructure of the Hospices, for which they receive no public money. To do this, the hospital establishment therefore relies on donations awarded for centuries, mainly in the form of vines, hence its nickname of“winegrower hospital”.
Founded in 1443, the Hospices today bring together four public hospitals and five nursing homes, or a thousand beds.
In addition to the stars, the sale will be able to rely on the constant demand for Burgundy wines.
“Interest in Burgundy remains stronger than ever”underlines Marie-Anne Ginoux, general director of Sotheby’s France, world leader in wine auctions which manages those in Beaune.
And in particular in Asia: for the first time this year, one of the numerous tastings of Hospices wines organized around the world was held in Seoul.
“Korea is exploding”rejoices Guillaume Koch. As proof, it is an oenologist of Korean origin, Jeannie Cho Lee, the first Asian woman to have won the prestigious title of « Master of wine »who has just succeeded a Briton as consultant to the Hospices wine estate.
Asian customers already represent 42% of the turnover of wine sales organized worldwide by Sotheby’s, compared to 24% for the United States and 33% for Europe, according to the auction house. The proportion is similar to Beaune.