Louis Latour Agencies

Hospices de Beaune

12 November 2019

Every year, for one weekend in November, the town of Beaune hosts wine lovers, connoisseurs and professionals. The Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction is the most famous wine auction in the world. This year the Hospices de Beaune will be held this weekend, 15-17th November. 

We’ve put together a little history of the Hospices, along with how it all works with Maison Louis Latour.

 

History of the Hospices

In 1443 Nicolas ROLLIN, Chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy Philippe Le Bon, had an hospital built for the poor which, to this day, is financed by all kinds of donations. In 1459, Jean Plampays and his wife were the first to donate vines to the Hospices de Beaune and the decision was taken to cultivate the vines and to sell the wine in 228 litre barrels (or ‘pièces’). Donations of vines have continued over the years and the domaine now boasts 61 hectares of vineyards in the Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits and Pouilly-Fuissé. At first, the wines were sold in a non-competitive manner but the economic crisis which followed the 1848 revolution put this system into question. The Hospices economist, Joseph Pétasse, had the idea to run a public auction. The success of this auction is undeniable, and it remains the most important wine auction in the world and still acts as an indicator for the pricing of the current vintage.

The money from the sale finances the town’s hospital as well as various establishments for the elderly. Every year since 1945, the “Presidents Lot” is put on sale to generate money for one or more charities.

 

Maison Latour and the Hospices de Beaune

Strong and historic links exist between the Beaune négociant-éleveurs and the Hospices de Beaune. In fact, they occupy an important place in the day-to-day functioning of the institution, and this has earned some of their leaders the position of Hospices manager. Several members of the Latour family have occupied this position.

These wine houses have, over the years, given vineyards and property to the Hospices, and the négociants are historically buyers during the auction and have always contributed very generously to the success of the auction. Last but not least, the Hospices de Beaune handles the viticulture along with the vinification up until the wines are barrelled. Without the négociants therefore it would be difficult to age and bottle these wines.

 

How the auction works:

Before the auction

• The customer chooses a wine amongst the 48 produced by the Hospices (see below) and define a maximum budget to purchase this wine, this will correspond to their bidding limit. Maison Louis Latour guide their customers with their wine selection as well as the amount of the bid.
• Once the selection is made and the budget is fixed, Latour will process an order and will request a deposit as guarantee. This will allow Latour to bid on their customer’s behalf during the sale. Latour will not exceed the maximum set by the customer. Additional costs will occur after purchase as detailed below, so to simplify matters, Latour send an all-encompassing invoice.

 

During the auction

• Latour will follow the auction for the customer and bid on their behalf. The sale can be followed on-line via Christie's LIVE ™. Latour will inform the customer of the outcome after the auction. Fees charged by the auction organizer amount to 7% of the lot price excluding VAT.

 

After the auction

• If the bid is successful, Latour will process an invoice including a 8,50€ fee per bottle (based on 288 bottles per barrel) to cover transportation and the costs involved in the ageing of the wine until it is bottled and labelled.
• Upon payment of 50% of the invoice, the barrel from the Hospices and age it in Latour’s cellars. The wine requires 12 to 14 months of traditional ageing and the constant attention of Latour’s cellar masters during this period.
• Once the ageing is finished, the wine is ready for bottling and labelling. As with Latour’s own wines they place great importance on the quality of the dry goods used. The labels are issued by the Hospices and are personalised with the company name. The total price of the dry goods, bottles, caps, corks, labels and wooden cases is included in the fee.
• The wines will be ready for delivery about 16 to 18 months after purchase, once the balance is paid Latour ship 24 wooden cases of 12 bottles to the customer. Each label will feature the Hospices de Beaune information and the name of their company or brand name, as well as that of Louis Latour in its capacity as négociant and bottler.

 

The 48 wines from the Hospices de Beaune

• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée DES DAMES HOSPITALIÈRES In honour of the Hospices nurses
• POMMARD 1er Cru - cuvée DES DAMES DE LA CHARITÉ In honour of the Ladies of Charity
• VOLNAY 1er Cru - cuvée Général MUTEAU Land donated in 1926 by Paul-Jules MUTEAU
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée GUIGONE DE SALINS In honour of the wife of Nicolas ROLIN
• CLOS DE LA ROCHE Grand Cru - cuvée CYROT CHAUDRON Donated in 1991 Mr & Mrs CYROT CHAUDRON
• CORTON Grand Cru - cuvée Charlotte DUMAY Donated in 1584 by Charlotte DUMAY
• BEAUNE-GRÈVES 1er Cru – cuvée Pierre FLOQUET Donated in 1997 by Pierre FLOQUET
• POMMARD-EPENOTS 1er Cru – cuvée Dom GOBLET In honour of the last cellar master of Citeaux Abbey
• AUXEY-DURESSES 1er Cru LES DURESSES - cuvée BOILLOT Donated in 1898 by Antoinette BOILLOT
• VOLNAY 1er Cru - cuvée BLONDEAU Donation of a bronze bell in 1811 by François BLONDEAU
• POMMARD - cuvée BILLARDET In honour of the BILLARDET doctors and their families
• MAZIS CHAMBERTIN Grand Cru - cuvée Madeleine COLLIGNON Donated in 1976 by Jean COLLIGNON in memory of his mother
• CORTON CLOS DU ROI Grand Cru – cuvée BARONNE DU BAŸ Donated in 1924 by the Baronne Du BAŸ
• VOLNAY SANTENOTS 1er Cru - cuvée JEHAN DE MASSOL Legacy of all of his property in 1669
• MEURSAULT-GENEVRIÈRES 1er Cru - cuvée Philippe le BON In honour of Duke Philippe Le Bon
• CORTON CHARLEMAGNE Grand Cru - cuvée François de SALINS Donated in 1745 by François de SALINS
• MEURSAULT-CHARMES 1er Cru - cuvée Albert GRIVAULT Donated in 1904 by Mr & Mrs GRIVAULT
• MEURSAULT-GENEVRIÈRES 1er Cru - cuvée BAUDOT Donation in 1882 of works of art and antiques by the BAUDOT family
• BÂTARD MONTRACHET Grand Cru - cuvée DAMES DE FLANDRES Acquired in 1989 and named after the first caring Nuns
• CORTON-VERGENNES Grand Cru - cuvée Paul CHANSON Donated in 1974 by Paul CHANSON
• MEURSAULT-CHARMES 1er Cru - cuvée de BAHEZRE DE LANLAY Legacy of his entire fortune in 1884
• MEURSAULT - cuvée GOUREAU Donation of a domaine to the Charity Hospice by Mlle GOUREAU
• CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE Grand Cru – cuvée du ROI SOLEIL Donated in 1584 by Charlotte DUMAY Renamed in 2010 in honour of LOUIS XIV
• BEAUNE MONTREVENOTS 1er Cru - cuvée SUZANNE et RAYMOND Donation of land with old Pinot replanted in 2010 with Chardonnay
• CHABLIS COTE DE LECHET 1er Cru – cuvée Jean Marc BROCARD Gift made in 2015 by Monsieur Jean-Marc brocard.
• SANTENAY – cuvée Christine FRIEDBERG Donated in 2010 by William D.FRIEDBERG
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée NICOLAS ROLIN In honour of the Hospices de Beaune founder
• CORTON Grand Cru - cuvée Docteur PESTE Donated by the Baronne Du BAŸ according to the wishes of her father
• CLOS DE LA ROCHE Grand Cru - cuvée Georges KRITTER Legacy left in 1991 by the widow of Georges KRITTER
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée CLOS DES AVAUX Donated by the Charity Hospice
• POMMARD - cuvée Raymond CYROT Donated in 1979 By Mr & Mrs CYROT CHAUDRON
• VOLNAY-SANTENOTS 1er Cru - cuvée GAUVAIN Legacy left in 1804 from property of Bernard GAUVAIN
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée BRUNET Legacy of the BRUNET family to help the sick
• SAINT-ROMAIN – cuvée Joseph MENAULT Donated in 1992 by Joseph MENAULT
• MEURSAULT-PORUZOTS 1er Cru - cuvée Jehan HUMBLOT Land given in 1600 by Jehan HUMBLOT
• POUILLY-FUISSÉ - cuvée Françoise POISARD Donated in 1994 by Françoise POISARD
• MEURSAULT - cuvée LOPPIN Donation of capital and property by the LOPPIN family
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée Maurice DROUHIN Donated around 1955 by Maurice DROUHIN.
• MONTHÉLIE 1er Cru LES DURESSES – cuvée LEBELIN Money donated in 1704 by Mr et Mrs LEBELIN
• SAVIGNY LES BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée FORNERET Legacy of the FORNERET family
• POMMARD - cuvée Suzanne CHAUDRON Donated in 1979 by Mr & Mrs CYROT CHAUDRON
• SAVIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée Arthur GIRARD Legacy in 1936 of a portion of Arthur GIRARD’s property
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée ROUSSEAU DESLANDES In honour of the founders of the Charity Hospice
• PERNAND VERGELESSES 1er Cru - cuvée RAMEAU LAMAROSSE Donation of money and vines by the last descendant of the LAMAROSSE
• BEAUNE 1er Cru – cuvée Hugues et Louis BETAULT Donation of money in 1615 by Hugues BETAULT and then by his brother
• SAVIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée FOUQUERAND Donation of money 1832 and 1844 by Mr & Mrs FOUQUERAND
• BEAUNE 1er Cru - cuvée CYROT CHAUDRON Donated in 1979 by Mr & Mrs CYROT CHAUDRON
• ECHEZEAUX Grand Cru - cuvée Jean-Luc BISSEY This vineyard is a gift made in 2011 by Monsieur Jean-Luc Bissey
• LA PIECE DES PRESIDENTS In honour of the founder of the Hospices de Beaune All proceeds are given to charity