The 165th Vente des Vins des Hospices de Beaune was another thrilling, nerve-wracking auction but once again, we held our nerve and bid successfully for an incredible trio of barrels: I can honestly say, we’ve never bought better for our syndicate members!
During a zoom call last month, Hospices consultant Jeannie Cho Lee MW unpacked the vintage and the domaine’s cuvées. For reds she noted the berries were small, with good phenolic maturity, leading to successful colour extraction, supple tannins, and modest acidity and alcohol. Whilst 2024 was a vintage for Volnay (her favourite wine was the Volnay Santenots that we bought 😁) – intricate, silky, perfumed, elegant, in 2025 the real successes are the Pommard 1er crus, the warmth of the vintage giving riper tannins and a fuller mid-palate. She commented that Pommard Premier Cru, Cuvée Dames de la Charité was “fabulous”, so this at the top of our shopping list, as well as being Pierre Duroché’s favourite Premier Cru red. Composed of over 40% 1er Cru ‘Les Rugiens’, a single barrel of which climat was this year's Pièce des Présidents, selling for €400,000, we picked up our barrel of 'baby Pièce des Présidents for about 4% under the nominal share price.
2025 Pommard Premier Cru, Cuvée Dames de la Charité
“This is a sumptuous Pommard with generosity and wonderful concentration. The palate shows impressive depth and structure that is firm, but not overwhelming. In this vintage, the Cuvée Dames de la Charité is sensual and generous with a wide array of flavours. The finish is lingering and incredibly persistent . This wine will reward those that manage to cellar it for at least 8 or more years.”
Jeannie Cho Lee MW
All the Cortons from the Hospices were noteworthy as were harvested before the heavy rains on 27th August so kept intensity of aromatics and suffered no dilution, however the favourite for Pierre Duroché was Corton Grand Cru Clos du Roi, Cuvée Baronne du Baÿ, so we were really pleased to pick up this renowned cuvée for him to work with at about 3% below the nominal share price. One of the most prestigious climats in Corton, the plots produce a “robust but racy wine with a "velvety" feel and a very good ageing potential. The wine combines the elegance and power expected of a Corton”.
2025 Corton Grand Cru Clos du Roi, Cuvée Baronne du Baÿ
“This Corton is all about potential rather than expressiveness at this stage. Tightly wound and reserved, with sumptuous, refined tannins and supple texture, the wine announced itself more on the finish than on the front palate. A majestic wine to lay down for at least 8 to 10 years.”
Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Jeannie was especially impressed by the consistency in the whites in 2025. Whilst total acidity is lower than in 2024, so is the pH, so there is a sense of freshness, hence very good balance, where flavours have harmonised with acidity. She notes a big step up from village to 1er cru on the whites. She told us that this year, it was Genevrières over Charmes, especially Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrières, Cuvée Philippe Le Bon, which was more finely-edged, almost like a top Puligny, with mineral, floral notes, beautifully detailed, balanced: “I loved it… my top Meursault 1er cru”. Added to that, it was also our éléveur Charles Ballot's favourite white too! Even though the quality and demand meant that prices of whites reached new heights this year, we were able bid successfully, at about 6% over the nominal share price, which turned out to be a relative bargain with other whites achieving record hammer prices this year.
2025 Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrières, Cuvée Philippe Le Bon
“This cuvée is the more powerful and mineral expression of Genevrières, and this vintage reveals the difference clearly: An exceptionally fine nose combining white flowers, citrus, and subtle mineral notes. The palate offers wonderful concentration, layers of intricate flavours unfolding seamlessly, revealing a majestic wine with great terroir and a fine backbone of acidity that crescendos to a long finish. It is complex, beautifully balanced, and achieved 13% alcohol without chaptalisation. An outstanding Meursault Les Genevrières with excellent structure and length suggesting great ageing potential!”
Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Thank you to all club members for being part of our 2025 Hospice de Beaune Barrel Syndicates. All the barrels were filled, such was the enthusiasm for the auction this year.
Our next Burgundy events in 2026
13th January: Dinner with Jane Eyre (details to follow)
15th January: Burgundy 2024 En Primeur Evening
5-8th November: Syndicate Members Burgundy Tour (where we will try our barrels a year further in their evolution in the cellars of Pierre Duroché and Charles Ballot.)