2013 Hospices de Beaune Beaune Premier Cru Cuvee Brunet Elevage Louis Jadot, 12-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Every November the annual Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction takes place in the heart of Burgundy. The auction is one of the wine world’s most prestigious and historic events. For 157 years the auction – which is a charitable event benefitting a hospital built in the 15th century -- has served as a bellwether for growers, negociants and collectors to gauge the quality of new vintage. The fine Burgundies offered to the participants in the Hospices de Beaune auction are made in very limited quantities, and they represent the best of traditional Burgundian winemaking.

Beaune is the heart, soul and capital of Burgundy. A walled, medieval city of ancient buildings and cobble-stoned streets, Beaune is home to the annual Hospices de Beaune wine auction, a charity auction dating to the 15th century. Beaune has always been a natural crossroads, and it was a commercial center as far back as the Roman era. Today Beaune is home to many of Burgundy’s most famous negociants, including Drouhin, Jadot, Latour and Bouchard Pere et Fils. The Beaune appellation includes 1,620 acres of vineyards, of which 95% are planted to Pinot Noir, with the remainder to Chardonnay. Although there are no Grands Crus, there are 44 Premier Cru vineyards which account for nearly half the appellation’s vineyard acreage. The best vineyards are on the upper slopes around the town, and Beaune is especially known for its “clos,” or small, walled vineyards that are often parcels of larger vineyards. There are also Beaune village wines. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that the primary traits of Beaune reds in the best vintages are “an intense bouquet of berry fruit, principally black cherries and strawberries. The wines are rarely massive or large scaled, relying more on their smooth, silky, berry fruitiness and harmony to seduce…”

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.

Cuvée Brunet comes from grapes grown in the Premiers Crus of Les Bressandes, Bas de Teurons and Les Cent Vignes. The total area of these plots is four acres and they are located near each other on the southern edge of the band of Premiers Crus vineyards just south of Montagne de Beaune. Most of the vines were planted between 1954 and 1976, with 15% planted in 1999. The cuvée pays homage to the civic-minded Brunet family, which has its origins in 17th century Beaune. Through the generations the family has included numerous city leaders, including five Beaune mayors. Roland Masse, the Hospices de Beaune vineyard manager, described the 2013 vintage like this: “The grapes are in good health, with many small berries…The balance between sugars and acidity is excellent….”