BEAUNE, SUNDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2025 – Today, at the historic Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction in Burgundy, record levels of global participation drove the final total to €18,754,670 / $21,496,368 (an aggregate of €20,223,043 / $23,509,670) – the third highest in the auction’s history.* The centrepiece of the auction was a unique barrel of Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens, selected as this year’s Pièce des Présidents (Presidents’ Barrel) and generously donated by the Hospices Civils de Beaune to raise funds for two charities of its choosing. Cédric Klapisch, Vincent Lacoste, Alice Taglioni and Martin Solveig – luminaries from France’s film and music industries and ambassadors for the EHCO association and the Robert-Debré Children’s Brain Institute** – joined Sotheby’s auctioneer Aurélie Vandevoorde to spur bidding among the 700 attendees in the Halle de Beaune, delighting the crowd with humour and heartfelt encouragement. When the final hammer came down some twenty minutes later, the price had reached €400,000 – an auction record for a 228 litre Premier Cru Pièce des Présidents.***
RESULTS-Hospices-de-Beaune-2025-PRAbout the Hospices Civils de Beaune
The history of the Hospices Civils de Beaune began in 1443, when Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins decided to build a hospital: the Hôtel-Dieu. The founders’ act of charity and patronage established a tradition that has seen the Hospices de Beaune endure throughout history in exceptional conditions. Today, the Hospices Civils de Beaune comprises the Beaune hospital centre, and the Arnay-le-Duc, Seurre and Nuits-St-Georges hospitals. The Hospices Civils de Beaune is the support establishment for the Groupement Hospitalier de Territoire du Sud Côte-d’Or. The originality of this hospital institution lies in the size and nature of its assets, which include, on the one hand, a historic monument, the 15th-century Hôtel-Dieu, which has not welcomed elderly patients or residents since the early 1980s; and, on the other hand, a prestigious 60-hectare Beaune wine-growing estate of the finest Burgundy appellations. All these vineyards come from bequests and donations, and their production is auctioned every year on the 3 rd Sunday in November, as part of the world’s most famous charity auction. Thanks to its heritage, this hospital plays a key role in the two major activities of Beaune and the surrounding region: tourism and wine. The auction is the most famous and oldest charity wine auction in the world (1859). Proceeds from the sale are earmarked for the upkeep of the hospital’s heritage and the modernization of its equipment and buildings. True to its founding values, each year the Hospices Civils de Beaune supports one or more charities by donating the profits from the sale of a unique barrel of wine, known as the “Pièce de Charité”.
About Sotheby’s
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Our deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate through RM Sotheby’s and Concierge. Sotheby’s Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby’s new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building at 945 Madison Avenue in New York City. Sotheby’s currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private collection of wine ever sold at auction, the most valuable bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most valuable bottle of spirits ever sold at auction, in addition to the highest total ever achieved for a charity wine auction.
