Hospices de Beaune 2026 auction: Clos de Vougeot grand cru chosen as Charity Barel

An exceptional Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru to support the fight against rare diseases

The Hospices Civils de Beaune have just announced the wine that will be auctioned on November 15 to benefit the DEBRA and ARLSA organizations in their fight against rare diseases. It is a Clos de Vougeot, a Grand Cru from the Côte de Nuits. The wine comes from the vineyard plot bequeathed last year to the Hospices de Beaune by the Faiveley family to mark their bicentennial.

2 supported organizations: DEBRA and ARSLA

True to their long-standing mission of helping the most vulnerable, they have selected DEBRA and ARSLA as the beneficiary organizations for the proceeds from the sale of this charity item.

DEBRA France is a French organization founded in 1985 that helps and supports people with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare and incurable genetic blistering skin disorder. Epidermolysis bullosa affects children from a very young age. Their skin is so fragile that it resembles butterfly wings. Website: www.debra.fr

ARSLA works to address the urgent need arising from Charcot’s disease and other motor neuron diseases. In the face of these rare, rapidly progressing, and devastating conditions, its mission is centered on three key commitments: supporting research, assisting those affected by the disease, and advocating for patients. Website: https://www.arsla.org/

A Clos de Vougeot vinified in a very unique way

For the first time, a Clos de Vougeot—one of the most prestigious and iconic Grand Crus of the Côte de Nuits—has been selected as the 2026 Pièce de Charité. In addition to being an exceptional wine, this is above all an opportunity for the Hospices de Beaune to once again express its deep gratitude to the Faiveley family for their incredibly generous donation in 2025.

Furthermore, this jewel of the Côte de Nuits is a one-of-a-kind barrel, vinified in a 500-liter open cask from a whole harvest (70%) that was meticulously sorted. Only the finest portions of the grapes were retained, and the main stems were removed. During the 19 days of maceration and fermentation, only gentle, hand-punching down was performed to ensure a delicate and controlled extraction.

To age this unique wine, an equally warm setting was needed: for this Charité cuvée, the finest merrains from the Taransaud Cooperage were selected from the Moladier Forest (Allier), renowned for the extreme fineness of its grain, which will allow for a gradual integration of the tannins. Combined with a long, gentle “Grande Chauffe” toasting process, the fruit is remarkably well-preserved, and the Pinot Noir will refine its structure and length—without any artificial enhancements—throughout the aging process.

True to the strong character of this 2026 vintage, the color is deep. From the very first days of winemaking, this wine has consistently delivered a bouquet of great aromatic purity and intensity, with notes of ripe red fruit. Its structure developed over the course of the fermentation process thanks to the magnificent grapes. The tannins are ripe and generous; the finish is both powerful and refined, true to the great wines of Burgundy.