The 2020 vintage at Domaine des Hospices de Beaune:
early, intense, superb

Review and analysis of the 2020 vintage by Albert Bichot

The 2020 vintage is the earliest in the history of the Hospices and Burgundy in general. The harvest ended on August 29 at the Hospices! Through her winemaking choices, Ludivine was able to adapt to a complex situation and succeeded in her gamble in both colors. Longer-than-usual pre-fermentation cold maceration and total de-stemming helped her keep freshness in a very sunny vintage.

The vegetative cycle went smoothly from start to finish, with grapes in perfect condition on arrival at the winery. It should be noted that the short heatwave at the beginning of August was relatively close to veraison. It therefore blocked ripening and prevented sugar levels (and therefore potential alcohol) from going crazy. The result: key figures for important parameters (sugar, acid, pH) close to perfection!

Alcohol levels are on average lower than in 2019, despite disparities linked in particular to terroir altitudes. Acidity levels are good and high, bringing balance and freshness to the wines, while giving them good potential for ageing and cellaring.

Yields are close to last year for red wines (around 477 barrels at auction) and slightly better for whites (156 barrels compared to 118 last year).

For red wines, colors are intense, with very expressive noses without heaviness or heat. We find the typically Burgundian spectrum of red and black fruits so pleasing and identifying. Each cuvée is representative of its terroir(s) of origin. For the whites, generosity and precision are two adjectives frequently used in our tastings. There's also tension thanks to good acidity levels. The 2020 vintage has an immediately pleasing, very drinkable side, but connoisseurs will also find in it the mark of very great vintages that will take a few
years to reveal all their complexity. The most prestigious wines (colline de Corton, magical trio of Côte de Nuits) have that little je-ne-sais-quoi that sets this year apart and reminds us of great years like 2005 and 2015. The more accessible wines (villages, Beaune 1er Cru) are solid and definitely deserve our attention. In fact, some of them are among the best tasted in recent years.

A big bravo to Ludivine Griveau and her team for again this year putting so much effort into viticulture (conducted without chemical inputs as for several years) and precision winemaking. Albert Bichot will be delighted to age these well-born wines and give them a place in our cellars! As always, choosing the best barrels (age, origin, grain and toast) for ageing will be essential to take them even further. Our unique expertise and our passion for the Hospices will undoubtedly enable us to achieve this goal: respecting the work of the Domaine des Hospices while giving them an extra soul.

Interview #2 - Vinifications and styles of Hospices de Beaune 2020 wines

September 15, 2020. With the auction just two months away and the final devatting taking place, Jean-David Camus of Albert Bichot asks Ludivine Griveau how she approached the vinifications for this 2020 vintage. Through longer than usual pre-fermentation macerations in particular, Ludivine Griveau has sought to preserve the wine's freshness in a very sunny year.

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Interview #1 - Ludivine Griveau's first assessment of the 2020 vintage

August 30, 2020, the last day of harvest at Domaine des Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy. Jean-David Camus of Albert Bichot asks Ludivine Griveau to share her first emotions about the promising 2020 vintage. She gives us her first impressions, recalls viticultural highlights and what it means to work for a "hospital-winemaker" in a special 2020 marked by the Coronavirus crisis.