Inside the Hospices de Beaune: Burgundy’s Most Extraordinary Wine Auction
Every November, Burgundy’s wine world gathers in Beaune for an auction unlike any other.
The Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction brings together some of the region’s most celebrated vineyards, centuries of history and one of the most distinctive ways to acquire Burgundy: by the barrel, before the wine has even been bottled.
For Aether Wines & Spirits, the Hospices is more than an annual event. Since 2014, we have returned to Beaune year after year to taste, analyse and bid at the auction, becoming the leading Hospices de Beaune buyer from Singapore and building one of the country’s broadest selections of Hospices wines.
Today, that experience allows our clients to access the Hospices in two ways: through mature and ready-to-drink wines already in our Singapore portfolio, or by joining us in Burgundy and participating directly in the auction.
What Makes the Hospices de Beaune Unique?
The Hospices de Beaune traces its origins to the Hôtel-Dieu, founded in 1443 as a charitable hospital for the people of Burgundy.
Over the centuries, vineyards were donated to the institution, gradually creating an exceptional wine estate spread across Burgundy. Today, the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune includes vineyards in appellations ranging from Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune and Volnay to prestigious Grands Crus such as Corton, Clos de la Roche, Mazis-Chambertin and Bâtard-Montrachet.
Each November, wines from the new vintage are auctioned by the barrel, with proceeds supporting the Hospices and its charitable and medical work.
The cuvées themselves carry the names of historic benefactors and figures connected to the institution. Wines such as Beaune Premier Cru Cuvée Nicolas Rolin, Corton Cuvée Charlotte Dumay or Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine Collignon therefore represent more than a vineyard and vintage—they carry a piece of Burgundy’s history with them.
From the Auction Room to the Bottle
Buying at the Hospices is very different from buying finished wine.
The auction takes place while the wines are still young and undergoing their development. Successful bidders acquire a barrel—or, in certain cases, a fraction of one—which then needs to complete its élevage before bottling.
A full barrel represents approximately 288 bottles.
Aether works closely with Maison Albert Bichot, the long-standing leading buyer at the Hospices de Beaune auction, to manage this process. After the auction, Albert Bichot oversees the maturation of the wine in Beaune before bottling.
For collectors, this creates possibilities rarely available in fine wine.
Depending on the project, a Hospices purchase may include personalised labels, larger bottle formats and the opportunity to follow the wine during its maturation.
The result is not simply a case of Burgundy purchased from a merchant. It is a wine whose journey can be followed from the barrel tasting and auction itself through to its final arrival in Singapore.
Aether and the Hospices de Beaune
More than a decade of participation has allowed Aether to build considerable experience around the Hospices.
Our work begins before auction day, studying the vintage, tasting the available cuvées, reviewing previous hammer prices and identifying the wines that offer the greatest interest for our clients.
Over the years, this has also created a substantial Hospices cellar in Singapore.
Our portfolio spans multiple vintages and appellations, from Beaune and Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Crus to wines such as Volnay Santenots, Corton, Clos de la Roche, Mazis-Chambertin and Bâtard-Montrachet, including standard bottles and larger formats.
For someone curious about the Hospices, this makes it possible to experience the wines without first committing to a barrel.
For a collector who wants to go further, however, there is another way.
Experience the Hospices de Beaune with Aether
Each year, Aether can create a bespoke Hospices de Beaune experience for clients interested in travelling to Burgundy around the November auction.
The experience is built around understanding the wines before bidding. It can include pre-auction tastings, discussions around the new vintage and individual cuvées, guidance on pricing and bidding strategy, and participation around the auction in Beaune.
Clients wishing to acquire wine can then bid on a full or fractional barrel, working with Aether and Albert Bichot throughout the process.
Following a successful purchase, the wine remains in Burgundy for its élevage before bottling and eventual delivery.
For a wine collector, few experiences create quite the same relationship with a bottle.
Years later, opening the wine does not simply recall a producer or vintage. It recalls the vineyard, Beaune, the tasting, the auction room and the moment the barrel became yours.
That is ultimately what makes the Hospices de Beaune so compelling.
It is one of Burgundy’s great wine traditions—but also one of the rare opportunities for collectors to become part of the story themselves.
