Breaking my Hospices duck

Well, after 36 years writing about wine, almost to the day (although the exact anniversary is Thursday), I have finally experienced the Trois Glorieuses, the weekend of the famous Hospices de Beaune wine auction – or at least I have experienced two of the three Glorieuses: a meeting of the Chapître des Chevaliers du Tastevin at the Clos de Vougeot over Saturday dinner and the auction itself yesterday afternoon. The third glory, the famous Paulée de Meursault, the original bring-a-bottle party, takes place this lunchtime. [For the full story, read 79th Paulée de Meursault.]

I had been to...