Our current auction includes a special catalogue showcasing wines from a former Michelin-starred gem located in the Rhône Valley. This superb collection includes some of the most iconic and sought-after wines from the region, together with some of the most prestigious names from every other region of France, as well as some delightful wines at very attractive prices.
The wine cellar of a former Michelin-starred gem in the Rhone valley
Fine dining restaurants renowned for their outstanding wine lists don’t open their cellars to the public every day. But that’s exactly what’s happening right now in this iDealwine auction! That’s right, we have a Special Catalogue dedicated to such wines hidden away in our ongoing auction for you to browse and choose from. This particular catalogue is a collection of wines from a fine-dining restaurant in the Rhône Valley which is closing its doors as its chef is retiring. The prestigious restaurant’s entire cellar is being auctioned off on iDealwine, something to delight each and every wine lover out there!
We are told that this French cuisine, formally Michelin-starred restaurant was also widely renowned for its wine list dubbed, “an enormous chunk of around a hundred pages“. The reason behind this is that the chef, who was also the restaurant’s sommelier, was a passionate wine enthusiast, who took the greatest care in compiling his wine list and patiently ageing his bottles. A native of the region, he grew up and developed close ties with a large number of winemakers, all of whom regularly frequented the restaurant. In his spare time, the chef also enjoyed visiting wine estates in the Rhône Valley and neighbouring regions, sometimes even as far afield as Burgundy.
While it focuses primarily on wines from the Rhône Valley, this cellar offers an eclectic selection of regions, vintages and styles – ranging from the most powerful to the most delicate, including some natural wines – in a wide array of sizes and prices. In short, everything wine enthusiasts expect from a fine dining restaurant’s wine list!
Wines sourced directly from estates and perfectly preserved in the restaurant’s cellar
The vast majority of wines on offer here were acquired directly from estates. They were then stored in the restaurant’s underground cellar, where they were kept until being put up for sale today. Naturally, the restaurateur took the greatest care of these precious bottles, storing them in an air-conditioned cellar offering the perfect conditions for ageing wines.
The Rhone in all its glory
Rather chauvinistic and particularly proud of his region, the chef quite understandably gave pride of place to local wines. The Rhône selection is outstanding, including iconic names such as Henri Bonneau (2004, 2007, 2009 and 2011 CDP Réserve des Célestins), Guigal (various Côte-Rôties in different vintages) and Chave, not to mention more exclusive signatures and connoisseur wines – Gangloff (all the cuvées in different vintages), Marc Sorrel, Gourt de Mautens…
Icons from every French region
As for the other wines, this cellar proposes a comprehensive tour of France centred on the very finest signatures from each region. Among these, you’ll find Prieuré Roch, including a 2014 Clos de Bèze Chambertin, and Bizot for Burgundy; a superb vertical from Grange des Pères in the Languedoc; some Bordeaux grands crus in their uncorking window, from Châteaux Latour, Cheval Blanc, Margaux, Haut-Brion to Yquem; the Comtes de Champagne produced by Taittinger and Cristal by Roederer for the Champagne region; Clos Rougeard for the Loire Valley…
Great depth of vintages
Over the years, the restaurant’s chef consistently delighted his customers by ageing his wines in the establishment’s cellar for lengthy periods, exclusively serving wines at their peak. The auction includes a number of vertical selections for different wines, both complete and incomplete. One example is the Gangloff Côte-Rôtie Sereine Noire proposed in vintages from 2011 to 2018. An offer that should undoubtedly appeal to collectors eager to complete their vertical.
Generous formats
With his love of fine food, friends and big tables, the chef quite understandably purchased a number of large formats, magnums and double magnums that are sure to delight and impress you! Make sure you don’t miss the 2008 Comtes de Champagne, the 2016 Grange des Pères or the 2015 Prieuré Roch Nuits Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes.
Fine wines at attractive prices
And finally, alongside all the iconic wines mentioned above, there are a number of wonderful bottles available at very affordable prices. These include Saint-Joseph wines from Domaine Courbis and Yves Cuilleron, bottles of Saint-Péray from Domaine du Tunnel and Pierre Vaïsse’s Languedoc offerings.
