The 153d Hospices de Beaune wine auction by Christie’s on November 17 set a new record, marking a 7% increase over last year’s results with a grand total of €6.3 million or US$8.5 million. The average price per lot rose by 27% to €13,000, red wines being the most sought after by bidders with prices up by 28%. By contrast, the main charity lot named “Pièce du Président” fetched a rather dissappointing €131,000 compared to the €270,000 raised in 2012, and €400,000 mark of 2010. The buyer was a young Chinese businesswoman named Yan Hong Cao.
The stunning increase of the average barrel price is explained by the scarcity and good quality of the 2013 vintage in Burgundy, as technical manager of the Hospices de Beaune estate Roland Masse explained before the sale (read our preview here), with only 443 lots available this time versus 518 in 2012.
The top five lots of the sale are a barrel of Clos de la Roche cuvée Cyrot Chaudron sold €66,000 (versus €50,000 in 2012), Clos de la Roche Georges Kritter which raised €66,000 (€67,000), Bâtard Montrachet Dames de Flandres, at €61,000 (vs €56,000), Mazis Chambertin Madeleine Collignon sold for €55,000 (vs €44,000) and Echézeaux Jean Luc Bissey, which went for €43,000 (vs €50,000).
The most impressive price increases were on cuvées like Corton Vergennes Paul Chanson sold for €24,000 (+85%), Corton Charlotte Dumay, sold €16,000 (+60%), Pommard Epenots Dom Goblet, at €13,000 (+53%), or Beaune Guigone de Salins, at €8,000 (+33%).
All the results are available on www.christies.com.
