161st Hospices de Beaune wine auction: The spotlight is on women’s causes
#HospicesdeBeaune
This major event continues to reinvent itself by advocating and engaging in social issues.
- On the occasion of this 161st edition, the profits from the sale of the charity barrel, called the "Pièce des Présidents", will be donated to two associations that work to support women's causes:
- The National Federation for Women's Solidarity, sponsored by French actress Jeanne Balibar, works to combat violence against women.
- The Curie Institute, sponsored by French actor Pio Marmaï (seen in the movie Back to Burgundy), supports medical research against breast cancer.
In addition to supporting charitable causes (established in 1978), the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction also enables investments to be made to meet the health needs of the region, namely the improvement of medical equipment and the modernization of infrastructures. The completion of the reconstruction of the Philippe le Bon Hospital represents an investment of 70 million euros spread over the next 6 years.
This is the first time that the Hospices de Beaune has partnered with Sotheby's and will be presenting 349 barrels (Pièces) for sale:
- 293 barrels and 2 half-barrels of red wine
- 56 barrels and 3 half-barrels of white wine
During the weekend, the Bourgogne wine industry will be offering several events for journalists, including:
- Friday morning, November 19: A tasting of the 84 Bourgogne AOCs at the Palais des Congrès in Beaune and a press tasting at 11am.
- Sunday, November 21 at 9:30 am: Joint press conference held by wine industry representatives and the Hospices de Beaune to present the vintage, provide an update on the economic situation for the first 10 months of 2021 and discuss other current issues.
To find the details of the press meetings, please click here to visit our online press room.
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Bourgogne Week London
Bourgogne Week London is one of the most eagerly anticipated wine industry events in the calendar. The next edition will run from 10-14 January 2022.
The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) supports all the events laid on by importers via an exclusive communication platform. Digital events will also run across various social media, in particular Twitter and Instagram, with the #BourgogneWeek hashtag.
More information will be available in December’s edition of the En Direct newsletter.
Save the date – Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne is back!
Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne runs from 21-25 March 2022, returning to its usual format.
Every two years since 1992, Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne event has brought together wine professionals, market influencers, and journalists to explore Bourgogne. From Chablis to the Côte Chalonnaise, via the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, with the wines of the Mâconnais offered for tasting in Beaune, the roaming nature of the event has a strong appeal for attendees.
Over the five days, 12 tasting salons will be opened across various sites in the region. Almost 1,000 winegrowers, négociants, and cooperative cellars will showcase some 6,000 different wines.
Registration will open in December 2021 via the website, when lots more information will become available.
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Bouzeron
This appellation, which showcases the qualities of the Aligoté grape, is an exception in Bourgogne.
The Bouzeron appellation is one of the finest exceptions in Bourgogne where, of 44 Village appellations, it’s the only one produced exclusively from the Aligoté varietal.
Location
The vines of the Bouzeron appellation grow on south-facing slopes with good soil, located in the villages of Bouzeron and Chassey-le-Camp. These villages of the Côte Chalonnaise, separated from Santenay by the valley of the Dheune, are very close to Rully and Chassagne-Montrachet. They have been active since the dawn of time and were even the inspiration for the prehistoric civilization of the Chasseans.
Terroir
Vines in the Bouzeron Village AOC grow exclusively at the top of the slope on soil comprising white marl and dominant limestone. The Aligoté grape flourishes on this terroir, located at 270-350 meters above sea level. Thef vines enjoy this sunny location facing east-southeast.
The bottom of the slopes is used for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, producing wines sold under the Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise AOC.
Sommelier’s tips
Between vigor and roundness, these wines are often very indulgent and delicately powerful. They are great served with oysters, bringing citrussy notes and channeling the salinity of the shellfish with sustained minerality. Bouzeron is also perfect with seafood, poultry, risotto, and with many cheeses, particularly most goat cheese, Beaufort, Comté, or even Cîteaux.
Bourgogne wines are flirting with records but remaining prudent
#BourgogneWines
After a complicated year in 2020 due to the pandemic, the results for 2021 are more than encouraging.
Over the first part of 2021, Bourgogne enjoyed growth in terms of exports to almost all markets that was even better than in 2019. This was mainly due to the generous 2020 harvest, the boom in consumption since the end of general lockdown, and government recovery schemes.
The 2020 harvest (almost 1.56 million hectoliters) is giving a boost to sales from the winery and trade transactions.
Although stocks by the end of July 2021 seemed to be down on the five-year average, they are being supplemented by equivalent stocks in the négoce trade.
In terms of exports, growth was strong, with results even better than 2019, up 22.1% by volume and 26.2% in terms of revenue for the first seven months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.
In France, Bourgogne wines continued to show growth, particularly thanks to their presence across all kinds of retail outlets.
Albert Bichot, a major player in wine sales for more than 20 years, has once again demonstrated its commitment to the Hospices de Beaune and its desire to democratize the sale of its wines to individuals.
"After this year's frost, which resulted in a historically low harvest, it is essential to continue to affirm our support for the Hospices, to show solidarity and generosity", said Albéric Bichot.
Maison Albert Bichot offers a new tasting set of three 10cl samples of wine to discover the Hospices de Beaune alone or with a partner.
The wines are presented in glass tubes in a beautiful case to transport wine lovers to the heart of Bourgogne and let them experience this historic estate firsthand.
The objective: To democratize access to these exceptional wines, which can be purchased starting from one bottle on the online store www.hospices-beaune.com/en/
A new winery for the Vignerons des Terres Secrètes coop
Motivated by their desire to "Reveal the Mâconnais", the Vignerons des Terres Secrètes inaugurate their new wine cellar in Prissé.
As part of an ambitious rehabilitation plan for its historic premises, the coop cellar has just completed its first phase of renovation.
The second phase (which will be completed for the 2022 harvest) will involve the creation of two new vats, one specifically for the static settling process and the other for the vinification of the cellar's numerous parcel selections.
Seven months of work will be needed to create a new space for vinification and maturation in wood. This will include a complete overhaul of the concrete slabs, air conditioning and electrical systems, and renovation of the walls and ceilings.
In keeping with its 'Vignerons Engagés' (Committed Winegrowers) approach, the Vignerons des Terres Secrètes decided to take into account the hard work of cellar workers by adopting the OxoLine system. This system enables all the barrels to be stored on removable cradles, thus considerably reducing handling during the stirring, racking and cleaning of the oak barrels.
All of this work was carried out in collaboration with craftsmen from the local business community.
Two estates in one with Domaine Courtault-Michelet
Change of name, logo and label - a new identity to discover…
The Domaine Jean-Claude Courtault and the Domaine Stéphanie & Vincent Michelet have been working together for nearly 15 years and have recently joined forces to form the Domaine Courtault-Michelet.
With its new name, logo and label, the new identity of the estate is modern while preserving the history and terroirs of the two estates whose wines have always been complementary. Quite naturally, they now make up the new range of Domaine Courtault-Michelet.
Considered as the oldest wine event to date, La Fête des Grands Vins de Bourgogne attracts more and more visitors every year.
A true institution for the Bourgogne wine industry, this event has become, with its opening to the public, a must-attend gathering for all wine lovers.
Organized by the CAVB (Confédération des Appellations et des Vignerons de Bourgogne), it is a unique opportunity to taste all 84 Bourgogne appellations, from Chablis to the Mâconnais.
Friday, November 19:
Morning (9:30am-2pm): reserved for professionals including journalists with a press tasting at 11am of two appellations.
Afternoon (2-7pm): open to the public, introductory tasting workshops led by the Ecole des vins de Bourgogne.
Saturday, November 20th:
Daytime (9am-7pm): open to the public, introductory tasting workshops led by the Ecole des vins de Bourgogne.
The ODG (Organisme de Défense et de Gestion) and the Syndicat Viticole de Gevrey-Chambertin are delighted to announce the opening of registrations for the Roi Chambertin event.
The 2021 edition will be held on Thursday, November 18 and will be dedicated to the 2020 vintage.
The event will be attended by two ambassadors who are passionate about fine Bourgogne wines, as well as masters of French gastronomy, who will unveil their "favorites"...
About forty winegrowers producing the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation will be present at this unmissable event for professionals (press, influencers, wine merchants and sommeliers - space is limited).
The ODG of Beaune (Organisme de Défense et de Gestion) is organizing its first "Tasting of the Great Wines of Beaune" at the Chapelle de l'Oratoire in Beaune.
About thirty Domaines and Maisons will welcome amateurs, professionals and the general public to present the different Climats of the Beaune appellation.
Discovery, interaction and a convivial tasting are the guiding themes of this event.
The wines of Beaune offer a wide range of more than 42 Climats spread over 430 hectares.
Ticket sales: at the Beaune Tourist Office only.
Date: Friday, November 19th from 10am to 8pm
Price: 25€ without glass and 30€ with an engraved glass
The hidden network of cellars beneath the towns of Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges is fascinating, but we still know so little about them!
The Association des Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne – Patrimoine Mondial has just launched a pioneering project to harvest detailed scientific data about this subterranean network in order to better understand the organization of the winegrowing region and its heritage.
The first phase of work has just been launched in conjunction with the prestigious institution of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, in partnership with TT Géomètres Experts surveyors. The cellars have been 3D-scanned and fully mapped to produce a highly detailed plan and model in three dimensions.
These tools will help the Association explore other paths for reflection, such as how well the cellars have been preserved, what volume of space there is and what kinds of cellars are there, and how they might be explored by virtual visitors. All of this will help establish a methodology in order to draw up a complete inventory of the cellar network in Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Bourgogne vs. Burgundy: to re-affirm their identity, the region and the producers are reverting back to the original French iteration of the name, Bourgogne.
EN DIRECT 9 issues per year, published by
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TRANSLATOR: SARAH JACKSON
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