165th Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction 2025: Generosity at the Top of the Market
Around this exceptional auction, Beaune lived to the rhythm of the "Festivinales" for an entire weekend: three days of tastings, entertainment, gala dinners, and Burgundian folklore, from November 14 to 16.
A Sale Focused on Disability and Innovation
Founded in the 15th century, the Hospices de Beaune have been financing part of their hospital activities since 1859 through this wine auction, which has become the most famous in the world in its category. In 2025, the edition is dedicated to disability and innovation, with a particular focus on projects for children. The funds raised will contribute in particular to the modernization of hospital infrastructure and to research and care programs for children, in Beaune and beyond. Sotheby’s is conducting the auction, with a level of participation described as "record" by the organizers, both in the auction room and online, confirming the global reach of the event.
€18.75M and rising prices: a Burgundy market still under pressure
A total of 539 lots were offered, comprising 428 barrels of 34 red wines and 111 barrels (including two half-barrels) of 18 white wines, all from the 2025 vintage.
Some figures illustrate the strength of the market:
- Total auction proceeds: €18,754,670 (excluding fees),
- 3rd highest total in the sale’s history,
- Average barrel price (red and white): €33,930,
- A 4.6% increase compared to 2024,
- Fifth consecutive year that the average price per barrel has exceeded €30,000.
By comparison, the 2024 sale concluded at €13.9 million for 439.5 barrels, with an average price of €31,647 per barrel. The 2025 increase is therefore part of a medium-term trend: despite a more fragile global wine consumption context, great charity Burgundies remain highly sought after. Observers also highlight the growing prominence of prestige white wines: certain cuvées such as Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru Cuvée Dames de Flandres and Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru reached record highs, with bids reaching €400,000 and €155,000 respectively for some barrels, according to the specialized press. The 2025 vintage, still aging, is described as "promising" by several analysts, reinforcing the appeal for investors who are betting on the future value of these wines.
The President’s Barrel: A Pommard Les Rugiens for €400,000
A highlight of the auction, the President’s Barrel—the traditional charity barrel—captures the attention of the public and the media every year. In 2025, it was a Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens, a unique barrel donated by the La Grange cooperage, crafted from exceptional oak trees from the Bertranges forest. After some twenty minutes of spirited bidding, the barrel was sold for €400,000, a record for a President’s Barrel from a Premier Cru, and €40,000 more than the 2024 edition (€360,000). This sum is earmarked for two charities dedicated to children and people with disabilities, including Enfance et Handicap en Côte-d’Or and the Institut Robert-Debré du Cerveau de l’Enfant, according to official statements and the business press. Several French personalities took turns at the podium to conduct the bidding: director Cédric Klapisch, actors Alice Taglioni and Vincent Lacoste, and DJ and producer Martin Solveig. Their highly publicized presence contributed to the lively atmosphere in the room and the charitable aspect of the event—even promising the highest bidder a cameo in Klapisch’s next film, according to the specialized press.
A barometer of Burgundy’s prestige
Beyond the overall figures alone, the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction remains a key indicator of the state of the fine wine market. In 2022, the 162nd edition set an absolute record with over €32 million for 802 barrels sold, including €810,000 for the President’s Barrel, a Corton Grand Cru Les.
In 2025, while the total may not reach this historic peak, it nonetheless confirms the very high value of Côte d’Or wines, with continuous increases in average prices per barrel. The figures also reflect an increasingly diverse international clientele, attracted by the prestige of the "Hospices de Beaune" label, the rarity of the wines, and the charitable aspect of the sale. Burgundy wine merchants, as well as foreign collectors and investors, remain very active in the most prestigious lots, particularly the Grands Crus of Corton, Clos de Vougeot, and Bâtard-Montrachet.
Beaune in Celebration: When the City Lives to the Time of the Auction
Beaune in Celebration: When the City Lives to the Time of the Auction
While the auction remains the beating heart of this third weekend in November, Beaune transforms, for three days, into a vast wine tourism stage. The 2025 program, coordinated by the tourist office, includes:
- Exceptional tastings in the cellars of the city center and at the estates of the Côte de Beaune and Hautes-Côtes,
- A gourmet market,
- A funfair,
- Parade performances by folk groups,
- Several gala dinners offered by wine houses and top local restaurants.
This ecosystem makes the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction an event that extends far beyond the circle of bidders. For wine enthusiasts and the general public alike, this is an opportunity to discover the architectural heritage of the Hôtel-Dieu, the historic cellars, Burgundian gastronomy, and the vineyards listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A Reinvented Tradition: Between Heritage and Future
Following this 165th edition, one conclusion is clear: the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction successfully blends tradition and modernity. Tradition, first and foremost, through the preservation of rituals such as the candlelit auction of the President’s Barrel and the commitment to the historic setting of the Hôtel-Dieu and the market halls. Modernity, secondly, through increased accessibility to an international audience via online auctions, the highlighting of contemporary social issues (disability, childhood, medical innovation), and a vineyard management approach that strives to be exemplary in environmental terms, under the guidance of the estate manager, Ludivine Griveau. In 2025, the 165th Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction will confirm its status as a unique event in the world, where the passion for wine, the strength of a region, and charitable commitment combine to give Burgundy one of its most powerful symbols.
