Yes this is the much awaited and much celebrated 3rd weekend in November where Burgundy wine opens to the world.
The 3 glorieuses (probably in reference to the periode 27, 28, 29th July 1830, where Charles X was replaced by Louis Philippe the 1st etc…”King of the French and not of France”….nuance!!) are 3 days of festivities that celebrate Burgundy wine – and not monastical dynasties.
It will start on Saturday 16th November with a famous Chapter at the Clos de Vougeot. Eminent members of this “Burgundy Club” celebrate the end of the harvest and basically drink lots of Burgundy wine…in particular the Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru! Members of the “Order of the Kinights of Tastevin” include prominent wine specialists, celebrities and industrials from around the world. Rumour has it that there are more than 14.000 members world-wide.
On Sunday 17th November, the famous wine auction will take place at the “Hôtel Dieu” or aka “Hospices de Beaune”. This will be the 153rd wine auction. They say that this is where the 2013 vintage prices will be fixed. The most important thing to retain is that barrels of wine from the Hospice de Beaune estate are auctioned for hospital charities…all proceeds from the wine sales are destined to these charities…a very honorable gesture.
On Monday 18th November…this is the traditional “Paulée de Meursault”, which really means its time for the estate owners and wine makers to let their hair down and have a big rave-up!! They all bring wine from their respective estates to posh “privatized” restaurants and toast to the recently harvested grapes and what they hope will be a great vintage. I think that this is probably the most fun of the 3…
SO now you know what the Burgundian “3 Glorieuses” is all about…
WineTime France News 
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