Organizers of the annual Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction promised on Saturday that its renowned reds and whites would be worth tasting despite a year of "bizarre" weather conditions.
Regional wine producers also dismissed fears that the gloomy international situation following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the US might put some buyers off or drive prices down.
The event, held in the wine-producing stronghold of Beaune in the southeast of the country, traditionally sets a benchmark for French wine prices.
"Thanks to the work that's been done on the vines, [the wine] has a very good maturity, in spite of a bizarre year for weather and significant temperature differences," said vineyard manager, Roland Masse.
Hubert Camus, who heads the organization of wine producers for the local Bourgogne or Burgundy region, was equally upbeat: "The Bourgogne wines have not really been affected by the current situation," he said.
"We would be hit if there was a world recession," he added.
Profits from the annual auction are used to fund hospital services run by the Hospices, a pre-Renaissance institution originally built to house the poor and the old.
Hospices de Beaune have been auctioning the wine produced from their 62-hectare vineyard since 1820 to fund and equip four health centers run by the organization.
The vines must conform to the normal "appellation" controls and now produce a range of top quality "premier" and "grand cru" wines.
This year, 696 barrels will be available for auction, each equivalent to 300 bottles, a little down on last year's total of 727 barrels, which raised more than five million euros (US$4.4 million).
Masse promised they would be worth tasting: "The reds have a wonderful balance and color. The Pinot Noir does not like extremes but it likes to have a bit of stress to bring out its qualities."
As for the whites, numbering just 120 barrels, "they have a quite pronounced acidity. It will be a vintage to keep," he said.
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