|
The Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale |
The World’s Most Famous Charity Wine Auction
The Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction (La Vente de Vins), held annually on the third weekend of November, is the most famous traditional charity auction in the world and sees some of Burgundy's finest wines up for grabs. The three-day event is one of the most spectacular of all the Burgundian festivals and must not be missed. The auction which takes place unalterably on the third Sunday of November is held in the covered market across from the Hôtel Dieu, the iconic, flamboyant Gothic hospital, with multi-coloured, Flemish roof-tiles.
The auctions began in 1859, when the hospices decided to sell grand cru and premier cru wine produced from its vineyards. Due to the charitable setting buyers pay a premium over other grand cru wines, but the attraction of the auction includes the chance to acquire first-rate wine in the cask, which is then bottled and labelled with the buyer's name and the details of the auction.
The atmosphere of the event is hard to beat as well: the setting and the custom of regulating the length of bidding on each lot by the burning of small candles contributes to the air of antiquity and imbues the wine with a special mystique.
|
