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Albert Bichot buys the 2 barrels of Presidential Barrel at the 157th Hospices de Beaune auction in Novembre 2017

The 157th Hospices auctionAlbert Bichot, the history of a great Maison, in Burgundy since 1831 took place on the 19th of November. Albéric Bichot from family-owned house Albert Bichot bought the 2 Pièces du Président for his Chinese customer and friend Mr Leung for 420 000 Euros. This is the 2d record for the “Pièce de Charité” after the 480 000 Euros reached at the 2015 auction.
The 2017 Hospices de Beaune auction was helped by the support of  Charles Aznavour, Agnès b., Julie Depardieu et Marc-Olivier Fogiel.
The profit raised for the 2 barrels of Corton Grand Cru Clos du Roi will benefit 3 charities : Fondation Tara Expéditions Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau and Fondation for research on Alzheimer.

This is the 6th time in 15 years that maison Albert Bichot buys the Presidential barrel at the auction, a sure proof that beyond our technical expertise in selecting and ageing the Hospices de Beaune wines, we have a very strong and unique connexion  with this outstanding wine estate and the charity spirit behind it since its foudation by Nicolas Rollin and Guigone de Salins in 1443.

An intense and shining vintage, generous at last

Jean-David CAMUS from www.hospices-beaune.com by Albert Bichot interviews  Hospices de Beaune winemaker Ludivine GRIVEAU about the 2017 vintage at the Hospices estate.

• A very early vintage, with the start of the vegetative cycle early April.
• End of April : severe frost damage many French wine regions. Fortunately Burgundy (except in Chablis) is not hit by frost, a
  very good thing for the winegrowers after several difficult years of low yields.
• May : generous and fast bud burst. The vines are very productive, as if they wanted to get some revenge after the previous
  years and show their best.
• Pinot Noir flowering takes place in perfect conditions in a few sunny days. More delicate flowering for Chardonnay, with
  alternate days of rain and sun. Some coulure (partial fruit set) will impact future yields.
• A classic Burgundian summer, with some very hot days at the end of June and July. August is sometimes milder, with some
  beneficial days of rain. Ludivine Griveau makes sure quality and yields do not go too high, with some green harvest or
  disbudding where and when necessary. Keeping a good concentration is the final objective to reach top quality.
• Harvest start a 100 days after flowering: 27th of August for the first Chardonnay in Pouilly-Fuissé (Maconnais) and on the 1st of
  September for the Côte de Beaune vineyards. Pinot Noir start to be harvested on the 2d of September for Côte de Beaune,
  then Côte de Nuits Vineyard. Last grapes are brought in at the winery on the 21st of September. Yields in red are around 42 hl /
  ha. In white, they’re only just above those of 2016 and remain limited. 2017 is the most productive vintage since 2009 though.
• Vinification : Ludivine talks about wines with a ”placid strength”, with some initial restraint character that require some long
  vatting (18 to 19 days in red) and a stronger than usual press level to extract the whites’ potential.
• Globally, Ludivine thinks the wines are superb, with great colours, very silky tannins. Nice natural degrees between 12.8 and
  13.2. Great balance sugar / acids. A very nice and promising combination of elegance and power.

Harvest at the Hospices de Beaune estate took place between the 28th of August for the Pouilly Fuissé and the 21st of September for the last grapes of Pinot Noir. 2017 is both generous is quantity and quality, as these few pictures testify. Find back on our website in a few days a full interview of winemaker Ludivine Griveau about the 2017 vintage at the Hospices de Beaune estate.

Every year, the Albert Bichot team goes to the Hospice de Beaune winery to taste several times the full range of 48 cuvées (wines) that will be on auction on the 3d sunday of November.

Alain Serveau (chief winemaker) and Cyrille Jacquelin (winemaker) and Jean-David Camus from Hospices-Beaune.com will carefully assess each wine, see its potential and evolution in its very first ageing stage. This will allow us to make solid recommendations for our customers who want to buy with us at the Hospices auction, either a full barrel of 288 bottles or a more modest (but not less interesting) purchase of a minimum of 3 bottles within a selection of 5 wines.

At the end of the interview and meeting with winemaker Ludivine Griveau, Jean-David Camus asks a very tricky question : describing the Hospices de Beaune 2015 vintage in just a few words. Here is the general feeling : 
red wines : density, fresh fruit, concentration and pleasure
white wines : précision, aromatic presence, length

The number of barrels on auction is not known yet but should be close to the 2014 vintage (575 barrels : 117 white and 458 reds), making the 2015 vintage a rare and definitely interesting harvest!

10th of September 2015, Jean-David Camus from Hospices-Beaune.com by Albert Bichot interviews Ludivine Griveau, the new winemaker from Domaine des Hospices since January 2015. She explains with great commitment her arrival and replacement of Roland Masse, now retired, the specificities of the Hospices estate and its numerous plots in Burgundy’s best plots. She also gives her very first impressions of the 2015 vintage, as the last grapes have just arrived at the winery.

Harvest at the Hospices de Beaune estate took place between the 2d and 10 of September.

Harvest 2015 started under the sun at the Hospices de Beaune estate as at many other Domaines in Burgundy, not to mention of course at Maison Albert Bichot.

Here is what the Burgundy Wine Board said a few days ago :

“The grape harvest in the Bourgogne winegrowing region is in full swing, and our winemakers are welcoming this new vintage with a big smile. Every indicator is positive – the grapes are at optimum maturity and in excellent health, and winemakers are confidently talking about an extremely good year. The only shadow over proceedings is the hail that hit the north of the region on 1 September, causing localized damage.

A sunny year with excellent quality

After early flowering and a very hot and dry summer, with episodes of welcome rainfall in August, the harvest began at the end of August in the southern part of the Bourgogne winegrowing region. Winegrowers are very happy with the condition of the fruit that has already been picked or is waiting its turn to be brought in.
The fine weather held any threat of disease at bay, allowing each winemaker to choose a harvest date when their grapes reach optimum maturity.

Even though the lack of rain this year has had some consequences in terms of yields, the Bourgogne winegrowing region has really enjoyed an outstanding season.

However, the winemakers of Chablis, Irancy and Saint-Bris were hit by a hailstorm on 1 September. The episode caused major concern, but the damage is limited. The storm followed a straight line, sparing the majority of plots. Those vines that were hit by hail could be picked immediately as the grapes were ripe. A return to cooler, dryer weather also helps prevent any deterioration in the health of the grapes or the quality of the fruit.”

The 2015 vintage promises to be a magnificent one right across the Bourgogne winegrowing region.