Cuvee Blondeau
⏳ Drinking Window
2018 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, coq au vin, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
The Volnay Premier Cru Cuvée Blondeau is a historic and highly esteemed offering from the Hospices de Beaune, originating from a generous bequest made by François Blondeau in 1811. This cuvée is meticulously assembled from premier cru parcels within the prestigious appellation of Volnay, including the celebrated climats of Champans, Mitans, Ronceret, and Taille Pieds. The terroir of Volnay, characterized by its high-altitude limestone and calcium-rich clay soils, imparts a legendary silkiness and ethereal perfume to the wine. Often described as the most elegant expression of Burgundy's Côte de Beaune, this Pinot Noir is celebrated for its delicate structure, vibrant red fruit profile, and floral aromatics. Following the annual charity auction, the wine undergoes traditional aging in oak casks under the care of selected local négociants-éleveurs, preserving its refined, elegant character and deep historical legacy.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, and Guigone de Salins as the charitable Hôtel-Dieu hospital, the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune represents one of the most storied institutions in viticultural history. Comprising approximately 60 hectares amassed through centuries of philanthropic bequests, the domaine spans over a hundred individual parcels across the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, supplemented by small outposts in the Mâconnais and Chablis. Over 85% of its vineyards claim Premier or Grand Cru status, rooted predominantly in classic Jurassic limestone and marl soils. Chief winemaker Ludivine Griveau, the first female régisseur in the estate's history, completed the transition to full organic certification with the 2024 vintage. Vinified in Beaune before being offered as barrel lots during the historic annual November auction, benchmark red cuvées such as Nicolas Rolin and Guigone de Salins, alongside benchmark white expressions like François de Salins, display pure fruit expression, terroir transparency, and refined structural precision.
🍇 Grapes
Pinot Noir
🍷 ABV
13-13.5%