2009 Hospices de Beaune Volnay 1er Cru Cuvee Blondeau elevage Louis Jadot, 12-bottle Lot

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.

Volnay is a small appellation with just 904 vineyard acres and a town of fewer than 500 residents. Nevertheless, to Burgundy enthusiasts, it's a jewel. Clive Coates calls Volnay “one of the most delightful wines and one of the most rewarding communes in the Côte d’Or.” Robert M. Parker Jr. described Volnay as “the queen of the Côte de Beaune.” Volnay has always been appealing. In the 13th and 14th centuries the powerful Dukes of Burgundy acquired land there and built chateaux. The medieval town sits on the hillside above the vineyards and the appellation is restricted to red wines made of Pinot Noir. Though there are no Grands Crus, there are 35 Premiers Crus. Some reviewers say the lighter soil of Volnay, compared with Pommard to the north, makes Volnay wines more delicate and elegant than wines from neighboring appellations. Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote that Volnay has a “high-quality level of winemaking…The top Volnays possess an immense, seductive fruitiness and lushness…”

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.

Cuvee Blondeau is named for Francois Blondeau, a wealthy philanthropist who in 1811 gave bells to the Hospices de la Charite, the hospital for the poor in Beaune. The bells he gave are still used today. Blondeau also restored the church in Volnay, built a school, and gave all of his vineyards in Pommard and Volnay to establish an endowment for the care of the elderly. Seventy percent of the grapes used in the Blondeau cuvee come from the Champans and Taille Pieds vineyards, which were planted between 1952 and 1989. The remaining 30% of the cuvee grapes come from the vineyards Les Ronceret and Mitans, planted between 1955 and 1972. Christie's Auction Catalog: "This is red-purple of medium depth…showing earthiness or botrytis character…The palate is powerfully built, with considerable structure, dense fruitiness, rich tannins and chewy length."