The absolute record year
Nuits-Saint-Georges, 15 March 2021 – The 60th Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges Wine Auction, held Sunday, 14 March 2021 at Château du Clos-de-Vougeot, was a resounding success. With total takings of €1,923,000, the wine auction increased in sales by +19.11% compared to 2020. A new historic record for a Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Saint-Georges Cuvée Georges Faiveley pièce was set at €32,000. And the charity pièce has reached the all-time record, with €49,380 being raised for the Institut Pasteur, represented by the French author Erik Orsenna.
With total takings of €1,923,000, the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges 2021 Wine Auction saw a strong increase in sales, with all proceeds going towards investments in the hospital. Traditionally held at Château du Clos de Vougeot, this 60th auction showed a 19.11% increase on 2020 despite a lower number of pièces (9) going under the hammer, and with the Coronavirus complicating matters to boot. Although there were 9 fewer pièces than last year, interest in the eagerly awaited 2020 vintage was strong. The sale of the 17 cuvées of red wine makes it possible to capitalize €1,869,000 (+ 17.51% compared to 2020) and the sale of the only cuvée of white wine (Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru Les Terres Blanches – Cuvée Pierre de Pême ) generated €54,000, i.e. + 125% compared to 2020.
MORE AND MORE BUYERS DESPITE THE COVID-19 CONTEXT
The 2020 vintage at the Hospices de Nuits attracted many buyers, demonstrating the strong interest in these wines. Registrations were + 20% higher than last year (as we had already experienced an increase of + 50% last year compared to 2019), in spite of the absence of a number of international buyers due to the Coronavirus. At €32,000 for the Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges Cuvée Georges Faiveley pièce, this 60th edition established a new record in the history of the Auction.
CHARITY PIECE: AN AMAZING FEAT FOR THE SALE BY SUBSCRIPTION
The “pièce de charité” – 228 liters of Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges –, sold by subscription for the 3rd year, went under the hammer for €49,380, the new all-time record. This sum will be donated to Institut Pasteur, the auction’s chosen charity this year. Proceeds from the sale of the charity pièce will go towards financing the development of pandemic risk assessment tools in order to better identify viruses likely to emerge and the most appropriate candidate vaccines to tackle them.
Erik Orsenna, Ambassador of the Institut Pasteur and the international network of Instituts Pasteur, reacted to the announcement of this exceptional amount:
“I am particularly delighted and honoured to be the sponsor of the 60th Nuits St Georges Charity Wine Auction in aid of a flu research programme being developed at the Institut Pasteur. The generosity displayed by the bidders in the raising of an incredible €49,380 makes so much sense because the work of Louis Pasteur, wine doctor, chemist and visionary, has so much to do with wine production. In the name of all those at the institute, I would like to thank you for your support; it’s by working together that we will take research further!”
ABOUT DOMAINE DES HOSPICES DE NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES
The Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges is a winemaking-hospital founded in 1270, two centuries before its illustrious neighbor, the Hospices de Beaune (founded in 1443). Less known but as prestigious as this one, the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges works exactly the same way, combining a medical activity and a prestigious wine estate. This vineyard spread over 12.4 hectares around the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges also sells all its harvest at auction on the 2nd Sunday of March following the harvest. The following appellations are on sale: Nuits-Saint-Georges (village), Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru and Gevrey-Chambertin (village)
