The Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo marks a milestone anniversary with rare collections, legendary tales, and a toast to the future of winemaking.
MONTECARLO – In the heart of Monte Carlo, nestled within the bustling square of the principality, stands the Hôtel de Paris, a symbol of luxury and history. This year, its legendary wine cellars are celebrating a milestone anniversary – 150 years since their inauguration. The cellars, known for being the largest within a restaurant globally, are a testament to a rich heritage of winemaking and an unyielding passion for viticulture.
The Hôtel de Paris, with its majestic structure, is not just a landmark but a repository of a vast and invaluable wine heritage, meticulously preserved ten meters below ground. This enological paradise, away from the reach of sunlight, houses some of the rarest bottles and significant vintages, embodying the entirety of the French wine heritage. Under the stewardship of Chef Caviste Gennaro Iorio, the cellars offer a pilgrimage site for every wine lover, boasting an impressive collection of 350,000 bottles across 3,700 references over a 1,500 square meter space.
This collection, valued at 25 million euros, was accumulated over a century and a half, predominantly comprising French wines, with a significant focus on Bordeaux. The selection includes prestigious names such as Petrus, Château d’Yquem, Château Lafite, and Saint-Estèphe, to name a few. The wine cellars represent not just a treasure trove of fine wines but a living history of the Principality of Monaco, conceptualized by Marie Blanc and realized through the vision of François Blanc in 1874.
As part of the 150th-anniversary celebrations, the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, the property’s owner, is organizing a year filled with events and encounters with the luminaries of the wine world. From iconic Champagne houses to historic Bordeaux estates, the celebration aims to honor the legacy and the future of winemaking. The cellars themselves are undergoing a transformation, with a new entrance and tasting room designed by Moinard Bétaille, marking the first phase of their metamorphosis.
The story of the cellars is also a tale of resilience and ingenuity. During World War II, employees constructed a wall of empty bottles to conceal 20,000 of the cellar’s most precious wines, safeguarding them from occupying forces. This act of preservation ensured that the cellars could continue their legacy unscathed, a legacy celebrated by figures like Winston Churchill, who commemorated the end of the war with a bottle of rum from 1811.
To commemorate this sesquicentennial, the hotel is introducing a Champagne Cognac XO, a testament to the cellar’s continuing tradition of excellence and innovation. This Grande Champagne Premier Cru de Cognac, produced from the finest hills of Grande Champagne, is a nod to the enduring legacy of the Hôtel de Paris and its cellars—a legacy of luxury, history, and an unparalleled dedication to the art of winemaking.
