Curious About Hospices de Beaune/Nuits

I

Ian Fitzsimmons

Ian Fitzsimmons
Is there a reliable, up-to-date book or on-line presentation on these two venerable institutions? I'd like to learn especially about vineyard and vinifying practices, as well as pre-auction handling of wine (e.g., percentage put into oak).

Thanks.
 
No book that I'm aware of devoted to them. Most books on Burgundy's vineyards will give you the breakdowns of the vineyards. Christie's website should have something about the Hospices de Beaune auction.

An important difference between the two is that the Hospices de Beaune is 2 +/- months after the harvest, so the fermentations have to be forced in order to show the wines the week before the auction (which is not to deny that I have had some magnificent Hospices de Beaune wines). Hospices des Nuits auction is the following spring, so fermentations don't have to be forced. I think, but am not sure, that both use 100% new oak, although once the barrels have been turned over to the buyers, the buyers may transfer all or part of the wine to older wood.

One special property is the Nuits-Didiers, a monopole of the Hospices des Nuits. It adjoins Les St Georges and is one of the finest vineyards in Nuits.

For both, it is important to recognize who bought and raised the wine, as that will have a lot to do with the style and quality of the wine.
 
Thanks - looks like a good book.

I've browsed Cotes and Kramer re: vineyard holdings. To get some sense of the extent to which the elevage will determine the quality of the final wines, though, even assuming you know the identity of the final eleveur, it seems like you'd want to know something about how the grapes are grown and the vinification managed. It's these details I'm trying to get at. Your comments noting some distinctions between the two Hospices' approaches are a start!

Thanks again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top