Proceeds from the Charity Barrel at the 166th Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale to
Support ARSLA and DEBRA in the Fight Against Rare Diseases

432 Barrels and Two Half Barrels to be Offered in Beaune on  15 November 2026

The Hospices Civils de Beaune and Sotheby’s today announce details of the 166th Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale, taking place in Beaune on 15 November.

For the first time in the history of the celebrated charity auction, a Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, one of the most prestigious and iconic Grand Crus of the Côte de Nuits, has been selected for the Presidents’ Barrel, or Pièce des Présidents. The selection also provides an opportunity for the Hospices de Beaune to express once again its profound gratitude to the Faiveley family, whose generous donation last year brought this historic vineyard into the estate with the introduction of a 52nd cuvée.

Proceeds from the Presidents’ Barrel will benefit two charities dedicated to the cause chosen by the Hospices Civils de Beaune for 2026: rare diseases. ARSLA (Association for Research into Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) supports the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Charcot’s disease, while DEBRA supports people affected by epidermolysis bullosa.

The 2026 Presidents’ Barrel is exceptional not only for the wine itself, but also for the way in which it was made. It is the only wine from the vintage to have been vinified in an open-top 500-litre wooden vat, using 70% whole-cluster fruit following meticulous selection. During 19 days of maceration and fermentation, extraction was carried out exclusively through gentle, hand-performed punch-downs.

The wine will be aged in a specially selected barrel made by the Taransaud cooperage from oak sourced in the Moladier forest in the Allier, renowned for its exceptionally tight grain. Combined with a long, gentle toasting process, the barrel has been designed to preserve the fruit while allowing the Pinot Noir to develop structure and length throughout ageing.

Displaying the deep colour characteristic of the 2026 vintage, the Clos de Vougeot revealed a pure and intense aromatic character from the earliest stages of vinification, with ripe red fruit at its core. Ripe, generous tannins give way to a finish combining power and refinement, true to the character of Bourgogne’s great wines.

This year's sale will comprise 52 wine cuvées – 34 red and 18 white – alongside two additional cuvées of eaux-de-vie. In total, the sale will feature 432 barrels and two half barrels, including 348 barrels of red wine, 86 barrels of white wine (84 barrels plus two half-barrels), the unique Presidents’ Barrel, and 12 barrels and three half-barrels of eaux-de-vie, resulting in 450 barrels for sale.

Six Centuries of Heritage Serving Healthcare

Few healthcare institutions are as closely intertwined with the history of their region as the Hospices Civils de Beaune. Founded on the principles of charity established by Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins in the 15th century, the institution today combines its healthcare mission with  an exceptional heritage that includes the historic Hôtel-Dieu and two wine estates comprising 60 hectares at the Hospices de Beaune and 12 hectares at the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges.

The Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale is the most visible expression of this unique model, bringing together wine connoisseurs and professionals from around the world each year in support of a shared purpose: enabling the hospital to invest in facilities, equipment and services that benefit the local community.

In 2026, this investment will include a major programme of digital modernisation designed to improve patient care and the experience of patients and healthcare professionals. Projects include the introduction of a new Electronic Patient Record system, investment in laboratory and medical imaging systems, and new digital services providing patients, families and the wider public with clearer and more accessible information.

Guillaume Koch, Director and Chairman of the Board of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, said:  “We could not do any of this without the support of Sotheby’s, whose expertise helps take our auction to new heights each year. But today, my warmest message is for the teams of the Hospices Civils de Beaune. Above all, this is their auction, and I want to pay tribute to the exceptional commitment they show, which is a source of great pride for our institution.”

Marie-Anne Ginoux, Managing Director, Sotheby’s France, said: “It is always a pleasure and an honour for Sotheby’s to support the Hospices de Beaune in organising the wine sale, an auction to which we are particularly attached. Throughout the year, we put our expertise, network and know-how at the service of this historic charitable auction, helping to raise its profile both in France and internationally, where each year we continue to explore new markets.

“The 2026 edition is already generating considerable enthusiasm, with buyers from a wide range of countries registering for the sale. Collectors from Japan and Taiwan have already reserved their places and are planning to travel especially to Beaune to attend the auction, accompanied by Sotheby’s specialists who will give them the opportunity to experience the sale from the inside. For some of these collectors, this visit to Beaune will in fact be their very first introduction to Bourgogne, at a moment when, for one weekend, Beaune becomes the centre of the wine world.”

Marie-Anne Ginoux added: “Among this year’s new developments, and as part of our continued commitment to offering our international clients a unique experience, our new headquarters in New York’s Breuer Building will also host an immersive saleroom, allowing our American clients who are unable to travel to Beaune to follow the auction and bid live from New York. We are fully committed to making this year’s edition a success, with an especially prestigious Pièce des Présidents supporting an equally noble and important cause.”

For his first edition as Mayor of Beaune and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Hospices de Beaune, Pierre Bolze shared his vision of an event deeply rooted in the local community: “The Wine Auction is a much-loved celebration that families and friends look forward to each year. But beyond the festivities, it carries a message that has remained unchanged for six centuries: to welcome, to care and to support. By harnessing this generosity around our great wines, we continue to uphold the spirit of our founders, Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins.”

An Unprecedented 2026 Vintage

The 2026 vintage is one of unprecedented earliness at the Hospices de Beaune, shaped by prolonged heat and dry conditions, but also by the remarkable resilience of the vines. Following a very wet and mild winter, the growing season advanced at extraordinary speed, with three successive heatwaves contributing to a total of 53 days of heatwave conditions. Despite these extremes, the vines continued to develop, maintaining surprisingly active foliage as the grapes ripened rapidly through August.

Harvest began on 15 August in Pouilly-Fuissé, Beaune and Meursault – the earliest start in the history of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune – and concluded on 24 August in the Côte de Nuits. Yields are low, but the resulting wines show impressive quality and a distinctive identity shaped by both the climatic conditions of the year and the individual Climats of Bourgogne.

Ludivine Griveau, Manager of the Hospices de Beaune wine estate, said: “How did the vine do it? How did it manage to give us such beautiful grapes after 53 days of heatwaves? That remarkable resilience is one of the defining stories of 2026. Our challenge was to marry the strong imprint of the climate with that of our Climats, of our Bourgogne. The result is a vintage with a personality all its own: yields are low, but the quality is unquestionably there, and we are immensely proud of the wines we will present in November.”

More on the Hospices de Beaune Auction

Representing the pinnacle of the calendar in Bourgogne, the annual Hospices de Beaune Wine Sale, established in 1859, has become not only the world’s most famous charity wine auction but also an important cultural event for the region. The sale forms the centrepiece of the three-day Les Trois Glorieuses weekend, when wine lovers descend on Beaune for the opportunity to acquire barrels of wine produced from the Hospices’ historic vineyard holdings.

Every year since 1945, during the auction, a special barrel known as the Presidents’ Barrel – also called the Pièce de Charité, or Pièce des Présidents – is sold separately for the benefit of one or more charities selected by the Hospices de Beaune.

The full sale offering will be listed here on Sothebys.com, where the auction will also be livestreamed on 15 November. Alongside the 700 seats available to guests at the Halles de Beaune, for the first time collectors unable to travel to Beaune will be able to follow and bid in the sale from a dedicated room at Sotheby’s new global headquarters in the Breuer Building in New York (945 Madison Avenue).