Not everyone has the budget, or the cellar space, to indulge in the purchase of a pièce (a 228-litre Burgundy barrel) at the Domaine des Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges auction. So, is it possible to acquire just one, or a few bottles instead? The short answer is YES! Here’s everything you need to know about your options.
A historic barrel auction
As you know, the Hospices de Nuits sale is renowned for its auction of pièces, the traditional 228-litre Burgundy barrels. Once you have successfully bid on a pièce, it must be entrusted to a Burgundy négociant-éleveur who matures the wine, typically for 12 to 24 months. You may then decide how you would like the wine to be bottled (standard bottles, magnums, jeroboams, etc.). Buyers may also personalise the label, adding their name, the name of a company, a club or other.
Can I buy part of a pièce – in other words, just a few bottles of a single cuvée?
It is perfectly possible to join forces with other buyers to bid on a pièce. To do so, we recommend gathering a group of friends, acquaintances or business partners to purchase a full 228-litre barrel together. This requires agreeing in advance on the cuvée you wish to pursue and setting a maximum bid, you will not go beyond. As a reminder, you can place bids on location in the auction room, by telephone, via purchase request, or online on the Drouot Live website.
If you cannot find partners to bid with, the iDealwine Customer Service team will be happy to help and, where possible, put you in touch with other clients with similar interests. So don’t hesitate to get in touch at any time for assistance.
Can I buy just a single bottle?
Yes, you can purchase a single bottle from the Domaine des Hospices de Nuits thanks to the pièce de charité (charity pièce) also known as the ‘Cuvée des Bienfaiteurs’. This pièce works a little differently to other barrels as it is not sold through the auction so to speak but rather by committing to bottles. Buyers put their name down, stating how many bottles they wish to buy and whether they would like to make an additional donation in aid of the chosen charity. Each buyer may purchase up to 24 bottles of this cuvée, priced at €150 per bottle or €300 per magnum. These bottles are also available for purchase directly on iDealwine. Once ordered, the wine is aged for one year by the Domaine des Hospices before being made available for collection or delivery.
Since the 2021 vintage (with the exception of 2024), the charity pièce has been the renowned Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru. It is a blend of the nine premier crus belonging to the Hospices, including the iconic solely owned Les Didiers, making it a truly distinctive wine. If you are looking to secure just a few bottles from the 2025 vintage of the Domaine des Hospices de Nuits, this Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru will be the cuvée available to you.
Each year, the all the funds raised through the sale of the charity pièce (pièce de charité) are donated to an association carefully selected by the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges committee. For the 65th edition of the auction, the charity Ani’nomade has been chosen. The organisation specialises in animal-assisted therapy, working to ease the difficulties faced by people who are ill, elderly or living with disabilities, and hospitalised children, through contact with animals.
When buying a bottle of the wine from the charity pièce, the entirety of the price is donated to the charity. Neither iDealwine nor the Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges take a cut.
Find out more about the Hospices de Nuits auction
