burgundywine.com has been a bidder at the Hospices annual auction every year since 2013 often buying several barrels and we will be there again this year. Many of our customers are now proud owners of some of the finest wines of Burgundy and perhaps the world.

So once again we are putting together a group or two of partners who would like to be part of a purchase of a barrel at this year's wine auction. The event takes place every year on the third Sunday of November here in Beaune. This year, it's November 16th.

We have selected some remarkable wines over the past 11 years, and we are really pleased with the whole experience...especially the wine! We have become Hospices insiders, with contacts that get us into the top professional tastings with oenologists, wine makers and Masters of Wine.  So, come auction day, we know what we want. 
2025 promises to be a very Burgundian year, a fruit year, deep and rich.  At this point, we see great structure, ideal, slow ripening. Could this be yet another of the classic Burgundian vintages that end in '5' (1985, 1995, 2005, 2015....2025?)
 
Prices vary depending on the appellation, of course, but we have been able to get some remarkable premier cru wines these past few years in the 20,000 to 30,000 EURO range (hammer price) for a 228 liter barrel.

In this price range, we are buying wines that will eventually retail for about $230-250 a bottle. The cost to you will be around $150 a bottle. But that's just part of it.  You also get something priceless and rare. You get the thrill of taking part in a Burgundy tradition, of participating in one of the great events in all the world of wine.   
 
Here's a quick description of how we structure the 'consortium'.

Typically, we have 6 members per consortium (or barrel) with burgundywine.com one of the members.

We purchase each BARREL at the auction on behalf of the consortium at a price that works within the budget price we set with the goal of buying a good premier cru.

With a budget of €37,500  we can secure a really good premier cru, and have done since 2013, and have sufficient funds to cover all the additional costs including Sothebys' commission @7% of the sale, the barrel itself @approximately €900 EUR, raising the wine in the barrel over the 15 - 18 months raising and custodian period, bottling, labeling, packing, local transportation, insurance and shipping costs to the US. The barrel raising is done by one of our winemakers, depending on the appellation of the wine purchased.

We count 288 bottles per barrel, divided 12 ways, each partner gets 24 bottles. You may not be buying these great wines as an investment but it is nice to know that they will typically be worth twice or more what you pay now when you receive them.

burgundywine.com covers the cost of shipping to our west coast cellars.  State taxes and onward ground shipment is additional, the cost of which depends on where you take delivery and is billed separately, before onward shipping.

The wine is usually shipped 15 - 18 months after the auction. So a partner's share works out to $3,950. 

And as a really unique benefit, full partner shares can private label their bottles, meaning that we can add a personalized line to the traditional Hospices label, making the wine a truly personal memorable experience.