The Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction once again captured the world’s attention on Sunday, 16 November 2025. Each November, this event turns a small medieval town in Burgundy into the centre of the wine world. Organized by Sotheby’s on behalf of the historic Hospices Civils de Beaune, the 165th edition achieved the third-highest total in its history. Collectors, producers, and enthusiasts from around the world gathered in Beaune to celebrate the region’s winemaking heritage, its ongoing transition to organic viticulture, and its enduring commitment to charity.
This year’s auction results underscore Burgundy’s growing influence in the global fine-wine market. With strong international participation and record-setting bids for both red and white wines, the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction remains a vital barometer of demand, quality, and generosity in the world of wine.
To understand what makes this historic sale such a bellwether for Burgundy and the global fine-wine market, read on for a full breakdown of how the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction works, the standout results from this year’s edition, and what they reveal about the future of wine. If you’re new to the event, you can first explore my detailed explainer on what the Hospices de Beaune and its annual wine auction are all about here.
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Hospices de Beaune 2025: Auction Summary
Key Figures and Market Trends
The Presidents’ Barrel (Pièce de Charité)
Highlights and Record Sales
Global Demand and Market Outlook
Charity and Community Impact
A Living Tradition
Hospices de Beaune 2025: Auction Summary
On Sunday, 16 November 2025, the 165th Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction filled Beaune’s historic market hall with anticipation. Under its vaulted roof, 700 bidders from around the world competed for Burgundy’s most prestigious barrels. The sale reached a hammer total of €18,754,670 / $21,496,368 USD and an aggregate total including fees of €20,223,043 / $23,509,670 USD. This result marks the third-highest total in the auction’s 165-year history and reaffirms its global prestige.
Organized by Sotheby’s on behalf of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, the 2025 edition featured 552 lots. That is fewer than the 802 barrels sold in 2022 but higher than the limited 2024 harvest. The wines, produced under the expert direction of estate manager Ludivine Griveau, reflect Burgundy’s ongoing balance between tradition and innovation.
Beyond the excitement of bidding, the auction stands as a symbol of Burgundy’s generosity. It unites craftsmanship, community, and philanthropy, and each barrel sold helps sustain one of France’s most historic hospital foundations.
Key Figures and Market Trends
The 2025 results confirmed Burgundy’s steady global appeal. The average barrel price rose 4.6% since last year, reaching €33,930 / $39,470 USD. This marks the fifth consecutive year above €30,000. White wines increased by 12%, while reds gained 14%, showing balanced strength across both styles. Across the sale, the average white barrel sold for €58,580 / $68,300 USD, while reds averaged €27,480 / $32,100 USD. The average price for Grands Crus reached €86,290 / $101,000 USD, and Premiers Crus averaged €23,180 / $27,100 USD.
These results highlight both scarcity and quality. Burgundy continues to be one of the most sought-after fine-wine regions in the world. The rise in prices reflects genuine market confidence rather than speculation. Even with fewer lots on offer, collectors and merchants competed vigorously, reaffirming the enduring demand for wines that express both terroir and tradition.
As bidding intensified, attention turned to the most anticipated moment of the day. The sale of the Presidents’ Barrel (pièce de charité).
The Presidents’ Barrel (Pièce de Charité)
The Presidents’ Barrel remains the symbolic heart of the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction, uniting winemaking heritage with a genuine commitment to improving lives.
This year’s Pièce des Présidents (pièce de charité), a barrel of Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens, achieved €400,000 / $467,000 USD. It set a record for a 228-litre Premier Cru charity barrel. The bidding lasted twenty minutes and was led by Sotheby’s auctioneer Aurélie Vandevoorde.
Celebrity ambassadors Cédric Klapisch, Vincent Lacoste, Alice Taglioni, and Martin Solveig joined her on stage, adding energy to the event. Zhongliang Li of Beijing, assisted by Julie Dussautoir from Maison François Martenot, was the winning bidder, after a 20 minute bidding war. Li, a medical-tech entrepreneur and long-time Burgundy collector, attended the auction in person for the first time.
Proceeds from the sale of the Pièce de Charité will support two organisations. EHCO (Enfance et Handicap en Côte-d’Or) assists children and adults with disabilities through inclusive education and new technologies. The Robert-Debré Children’s Brain Institute advances research into childhood neurodevelopment.
It is interesting to note that the Presidents’ Barrel is usually a Grand Cru. This year, the organisers chose a Premier Cru to highlight that Burgundy’s greatness lies not only in prestige; excellence exists at every level of its appellations.
Highlights and Record Sales
Several barrels achieved standout results at the 2025 auction. Two Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cuvée Dames de Flandres barrels each sold for €400,000 / $467,000 USD, the top price for white wine and a record matched from last year. Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cuvée François de Salins, reached €155,000 / $181,000 USD. Beaune Blanc Premier Cru Clos des Mouches, Cuvée Hugues et Louis Bétault, sold for €60,000 / $70,000 USD.
Among the year’s most anticipated highlights was the introduction of the 52nd cuvée, Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, Cuvée François Faiveley. Donated by Domaine Faiveley to mark its 200th anniversary, the two barrels sold for €165,000 and €170,000, drawing strong interest from collectors and celebrating the link between Burgundy’s legacy and its next generation.
Guillaume Koch, Director of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, described the auction as “the third-largest sale in our history,” crediting Ludivine Griveau and her team for their meticulous work and the enduring trust of Burgundy’s supporters.
The strength of these results was reflected worldwide, as buyers from every major wine market helped drive one of the most globally connected editions in the auction’s history.
Global Demand and Market Outlook
The reach of the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction extended far beyond Burgundy this year. Sotheby’s held 24 events in 17 cities to promote the sale, including new stops in Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Copenhagen, Jakarta, Madrid, and São Paulo. The global calendar reflected growing enthusiasm for Burgundy and a steadily expanding collector base.
This rise in participation brought record engagement on auction day. Collectors from Europe, Asia, and the Americas competed both online and in person. Beaune once again became the meeting point between Burgundy’s traditions and the world’s fine-wine market. New buyers from Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan took part for the first time, showing how Burgundy continues to inspire curiosity across cultures.
For consumers, the impact reaches well beyond the auction hall. Rising interest in the Hospices wines influences pricing, availability, and perception across the entire Burgundy category. With greater focus on organic certification, provenance, and craftsmanship, Burgundy attracts a generation of buyers who value authenticity as much as rarity.
Charity and Community Impact
At its core, the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction remains a charity event, honouring a tradition that began more than 160 years ago. Each year, proceeds from the Pièce de Charité fund vital work in health and social care.
This year’s beneficiaries were EHCO (Enfance et Handicap en Côte-d’Or) and the Robert-Debré Children’s Brain Institute. EHCO supports children and adults with disabilities through inclusive education, community programs, and adaptive technologies. Its local presence in Burgundy ensures that the auction’s impact reaches people close to home.
The Robert-Debré Children’s Brain Institute is a leading research centre focused on childhood brain development. Its scientists and clinicians study learning and cognitive disorders to improve early diagnosis and treatment.
Beyond the Presidents’ Barrel, funds from the wider auction support the Hospices Civils de Beaune’s hospital projects. These include the construction of a new 15,000 m² medical facility and the rebuilding of the Seurre Hospital. Both initiatives reflect the same values that inspired Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins to found the Hospices in 1443: compassion, innovation, and service to others.
The charitable spirit that began centuries ago remains the heartbeat of the event today. It shows that generosity and wine can come together in a way that changes lives.
A Living Tradition
The Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction remains a reflection of Burgundy’s enduring values: community, craftsmanship, and care. Now investing in sustainable viticulture and modern hospital infrastructure, the Hospices bridges centuries of heritage with a vision for the future.
The 2025 edition showed that Burgundy’s story is still evolving. Beyond prices and records, it is a celebration of people, from growers to supporters, who together keep this living tradition alive. Through its support of organisations such as EHCO and the Robert-Debré Children’s Brain Institute, the auction stands as a reminder that generosity is as integral to Burgundy’s identity as its vineyards.
