From the Hôtel-Dieu to the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune: 6 centuries of care and wine history in Burgundy

In 1443, Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins act the foundation of the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune.

As the Hundred Years' War drew to a close, numerous plagues strike France and the Duché (dukedom) of Bourgogne, a vast territory stretching from the south and west of present-day Burgundy to Flanders (current Netherlands)
Chancellor to Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon, knight Nicolas Rolin and his wife Guigone de Salins decid to come to the aid of the local population.
They use part of their fortune to create a Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune in 1443, a veritable palace for the poor. A remarkable building in the Flemish-inspired Flamboyant Gothic style with its famous glazed tiles, L'Hôtel-Dieu will retain its hospital function until the 1970s, when the new hospital is built.

A vocation of care and charity for 6 centuries

Nicolas Rolin and his wife Guigone de Salins made the Hôtel-Dieu a unique place in Beaune, with a genuine care function. Several communities of nuns and nurses, such as the Dames de la Charité and the Sœurs Hospitalières, cared for the sick and helped local residents, notably in the splendid Salle des Pôvres. This fundamentally universal spirit of charity has endured down the centuries and continues to this day. Today, the Hôtel-Dieu is an exceptional museum, a must-see in Beaune.

Domaine Viticole des Hospices de Beaune: a winegrowing-hospital thanks to generous donators

Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins endowed their hospital richly from the outset, guaranteeing it total autonomy. However, history records that many benefactors and patrons, whether local notables or former patients, soon bequeathed all or part of their property to the Hôtel-Dieu: farms, woods... and vineyards! In 1457, Jean Guillotte le Verrier made the first donation of vines to the Hôtel-Dieu. This was the birth of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune.

This custom of donations and bequests has continued down the centuries, and continues to this day. Donating vines to the Hospices is a way for patients or their families to thank the institution, to ensure its continuity and, equally, to go down in history! Hospices de Beaune wines (known as cuvées) often bear the name of the family who donated the plots of land used to make the wine. For example, winemaker Jean-Luc Bissey bequeathed a parcel of Echezeaux in 2011. No doubt other bequests or donations will be made in the coming years, adding to the already long list of prestigious appellations of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune.

Ludivine Griveau, Hospices de Beaune winemaker since 2015

Since the 2015 vintage, Burgundian Ludivine Griveau has been at the helm of Domaine des Hospices de Beaune. With the help of some twenty salaried winegrowers and a close winery team, she manages the Hospices vineyard and ensures the vinification of the Domaine's 60 ha. Since the 2024 vintage, the Domaine has been certified in Organic Agriculture. Passion, exacting standards and enthusiasm characterize the talented steward of this estate like no other.

The "cuvées" from the Hospices de Beaune estate: finest Bourgogne wines and history behind each wine

Thanks to its 60 ha (approximately 150 acres) and 120 different plots, cultivated in Organic Agriculture (certified since 2024), Domaine des Hospices de Beaune offers over 50 different wines for auction. Around 2/3 are red wines made from Pinot Noir grape, so delicate in our latitudes, and 1/3 are white wines made from Chardonnay, always imbued with great complexity.

Each cuvée is named after either a historical figure from the Hospices (such as the Dames Hospitalières, the first nurses from the hospital back in the 15th century) or the generous persons or families who gave vineyards to the Hospices and that now go into their composition, such as the Cyrot-Chaudron couple. Some Hospices wines are the result of judicious blending of several parcels from the same appellation, which is quite unusual in Bourgogne, while others come from a single climat (a single plot)

To each wine its aromatic profile, its potential...and its auction price! Our mission at Albert Bichot: to help you choose the wine or wines that best match your auction purchase project, from a bottle to a full cask.

Every 3rd Sunday in November, the Hospices de Beaune auction is an event like no other.

In 1859, the Hospices de Beaune decided to auction off the estate's wines a few weeks after the harvest. This custom has continued ever since, immutably on the 3rd Sunday in November. The wines sold are said to be en primeur (as futures): the harvest and vinification took place only a few weeks before the auction and the wines must therefore be aged for many months before being sold and appreciated.

Our house Albert Bichot has been buying at auction since 1876 and we've even been the number 1 buyer for 30 years, allowing enthusiasts from all over the world to take part to the auction, from one bottle to a full cask. We have developed a recognized signature expertise in selecting, auctioning and aging these great wines for a great cause.