Description

The third Sunday of November. The famous Hospices de Beaune is putting its wines up for sale. These cuvees, sold to the highest bidders throughout the afternoon, capture the attention of an entire profession and the passion of those who taste them. The world’s oldest charity auction began working its magic in 1859. But the Hospices de Beaune is much more than a historical act of altruism. A new page in the chronicle of this unusual winemaking hospital is written each year, with each new vintage, and fascinates the entire world.

Laurent Gotti reveals all the aspects of this extraordinary saga: its centuries of rich history, its vineyards, and its vignerons who, over time, allow the development of each vintage. He also carries us to the heart of the auction. Buyers come from all over the world: Japan, Germany, the United States…. Many big names from show business, literature, and science have presided over the event…. This auction also constitutes the first glimpse of the new vintage, the incontrovertible opportunity to gauge Burgundy, and we accompany the author on a trip through the arcane mysteries of its birth. Gotti’s intimate knowledge of his subject allows us to learn in detail the history and provenance of each of these cuvees that have brought joy to the most exacting connoisseurs for so many years.