BEAUNE: Marc Lavoine will sponsor an atypical wine sale

For this 2020 edition, the sale of Hospices de Beaune wines will be organized behind closed doors on Sunday, November 15 with a large number of buyers connected to Christie’s remotely. The auction of the Presidents’ piece will support the Hospitallers of France sponsored by singer Marc Lavoine.

The holding of the 160th Hospices de Beaune wine sale was confirmed on November 2 after consultation between the interministerial unit on Covid-19, the prefecture of Côte-d’Or and the Hospices Civils de Beaune. “A constructive dialogue” says Alain Suguenot, LR mayor of Beaune and chairman of the supervisory board of the Beaune health establishment.

This Thursday, November 5, 2020, a press video conference clarified certain practical aspects of the sale and presented the 2020 vintage of the wines that will be auctioned. In summary, the festive events that usually surround the sale such as the Fête des Grands Vins at the Palais des Congrès, the half-marathon in the streets, the tasting in the old winery or the artisanal village of Place Carnot are canceled.

The auction coordinated by Christie’s is maintained as a professional closed-door event. Under the Halles de Beaune, the number of people present will be limited to 250. Buyers of Burgundy trading houses will be physically present, while international buyers will participate remotely through Christie’s platform.

The sponsor of this 160th sale is singer Marc Lavoine. The results of the auction for the Presidents’ piece, a Clos de la Roche grand cru aged in an oak barrel from the Chambord forest, will go in full to the Comité de Gestion des Oeuvres Sociales and the Fédération Hospitalière de France.

“Hospitallers, for many centuries, have been able to overcome these epidemic phases”

For this press conference, voices echoed in the great hall of the Poor. The confinement emptied the Hôtel-Dieu of these visitors but the place was chosen by the Beaunois for its symbolism. The other speakers are at their desks, linked together by videoconference.

“Oldest hospital” and “oldest charity” recalls Alain Suguenot from the outset to underline the heritage importance of the sale of Hospices de Beaune wines. The mayor of Beaune considers that the event has “all the more reasons to be this year” while the health crisis is rife, adding that “a hospital is better able than others to respect the barrier measures” necessary to the organization (read the press release).

In turn, François Poher, director of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, points out that the Salle des Pôvres has known “many epidemics”. However, “hospital workers, for many centuries, have been able to overcome these epidemic phases”. The Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune was founded in 1457 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor of the Dukes of Burgundy, and his wife Guigone de Salins.

Currently, the Beaune hospital welcomes six patients affected by Covid-19, three of whom are from outside Beaune. François Poher specifies that the activity of the hospital continues even if the white plan has been activated. Regarding the eight EHPAD managed by the Hospices Civils, “the situation has stabilized” declares the director who says he is “very proud of our professionals”. “The epidemic is under control while allowing very supervised visits” he adds.

François Poher specifies that no management fees will be deducted from the result of the sale, which will thus go entirely to the Management Committee of Social Works and to the Hospital Federation of France. The CGOS is an association which manages social action benefits for a million caregivers in France, active or retired. “Sunday 15th, we hope that the buyers will be there for the hospital” launches the director.

Apart from the President’s room, the proceeds from the sale of 629 other wine pieces will fuel the investments of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, allowing development without State subsidy. In 2019, the proceeds from the sale reached 12 million euros.

In 2019, the Beaune maternity unit was upgraded to level 2A and a six-place neonatal unit opened in the pediatric department. The health establishment is preparing the opening in January 2021 of its new service for the rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases. In 2021, the reconstruction process of the main hospital building will also be initiated.

“If the situation were to deteriorate, we would adapt”

General Manager France of Christie’s, Aline Sylla-Walbaum does not say anything else. The auction house founded in 1766 in London is now controlled by Artemis, the holding company of the Pinault family. Christie’s will be “a sounding board so that there is a maximum of bids” underlines Aline Sylla-Walbaum. The catalog is online and the company has already contacted 500 people in Europe, the United States and Asia.

“We will follow very precisely government decisions” indicates the director. And, claiming the 253 years of the company, “if the situation were to deteriorate, we would adapt” she adds. Aline Sylla-Walbaum takes the example of a recent book sale in Paris, which took place without a physical presence, which “doubled its initial estimate”. In Beaune, the auctioneers should be Cécile Verdier, Lionel Gosset and Victoire Gineste.

“The strong attachment of the French to hospital workers”

“The gesture goes directly to the heart of all the hospital workers who are at the front” moved Frédéric Valletoux, UDI mayor of Fontainebleau and president of the Federation Hospitalière de France which represents 1,100 health establishments and 3,800 medico-social establishments.

The “second wave” of the health crisis means that “everyone is on deck and all hospital services are concerned” notes the president of the FHF. Frédéric Valletoux salutes “the strength of the symbol” and “the strong attachment of the French to hospital workers and the place they have in our society”.

With a first experience of solidarity in the spring, Frédéric Valletoux announces that the singer Marc Lavoine will be “the godfather of this donation to the hospital staff”. Indeed, last April, Marc Lavoine joined forces with Pascal Obispo and Florent Pagny to release a new song in support of caregivers: “For the people of help” (see the clip on YouTube).

Nevertheless, on Sunday November 15, Marc Lavoine will not be present in Beaune and it is highly unlikely that his song partners will either. Currently recording broadcasts from The Voice for TF1, Marc Lavoine is “checked twice a day” and cannot travel. He will be “present in videoconference” indicates the FHF. According to our information, a video address will be broadcast just before the auction for the Presidents’ coin.

Jean-Christophe Tardivon