Charles Aznavour to attend Hospices de Beaune sale.

The 93-year-old chanteur, who has duetted with the likes of Edith Piaf and Frank Sinatra in his career, will be a ‘godfather’ of one of the barriques being sold for charitable causes this year, alongside actress Julie Depardieu and TV presenter Marc-Olivier Fogiel.

For the first time, the Hospices sale will see two 228 litre barrels sold for charity both of them Corton Grand Cru, Clos du Roi.

This year the proceeds from the sale of these two barriques will go towards three charities: Alzheimer Research sponsored by Aznavour, the Tara Expeditions supported by Depardieu and La Fédération pour la Recherche sur le cerveau supported by Fogiel.

The 2017 sale will also see the introduction of a new entry into the Hospices’ range – a Puligny-Montrachet.

A small parcel in the climat ‘Les Reuchaux’ (nearest Meursault) was donated to the hospital earlier this year by Bernard Clerc (of Domaine Henry Clerc).

In total, 787 barrels will be sold at the auction, 157 barrels of white wine and 630 of red wine. There are 50 cuvées in total, 33 of them red and 17 white.

Last month Jasper Morris MW told an audience in London that a good sized harvest of high quality should ensure there were plenty of “exciting” wines for sale.

Information from The Drinks Business