Record proceeds were achieved at the most famous wine auction in the world in Beaune in eastern France: the auction of Burgundy wines in the Beaune hospice brought in a total of almost 29 million euros.
"The results are historic and spectacular," said hospice director François Poher.
With this year's total, the previous record proceeds of almost 14 million euros from 2018 were more than doubled.
At the charity auction of the Hospice de Beaune, which takes place on the third Sunday in November, top wines are auctioned off.
The "President's piece", a 228-liter barrel, was sold for 810,000 euros, breaking the previous year's record of 800,000 euros.
At the auction, in which about 800 interested parties bid, an unusually large number of wines were offered thanks to a lush harvest this year.
The vines in Burgundy had weathered the summer drought well due to heavy rains in June.
In the previous year, however, the harvest was lower than it had been in four decades due to frost in spring.
Only 356 casks were available for auction in 2021.
This year there were 802 auction lots.
"We've gone from one extreme to the other," said Amayès Aouli, European director of Sotheby's Wine, organizer of the auction.