Artcurial auctions the old cellar belonging to Laurent,
the famous Parisian gastronomic restaurant
 

Artcurial is pleased to present at auction the entire old cellar belonging to Laurent, the famous gourmet restaurant in the Golden Triangle. A true haven, sheltered from the bustle of Paris and set in the heart of the Champs-Elysées gardens, the restaurant Laurent is a guardian of French savoir-vivre with its legendary gastronomic culture.

Boasting a prestigious history, the restaurant Laurent offers an invitation to step back in time. A former hunting lodge of Louis XIV, the site was used as an open-air dance hall during the Revolution and then a neoclassical style villa when the Champs-Elysées were redeveloped. During the Second Empire in Paris, spectators of the Cirque d’Eté, keen to continue the festivities around a celebrated table, crowded through its doors. The restaurant Laurent was finally born in 1860, named after its eponymous manager

Its cellar is known to the greatest collectors for the depth of its selection. This bears the influence of Philippe Bourguignon who, elected best sommelier of France in 1978, and who was a key presence in the house for nearly 40 years. Encapsulating finesse, elegance and fine dining, these wines reflect the terroirs they come from. The bottles have been conserved perfectly in three underground cellars, beneath the restaurant. The first for whites and champagne, the second for reds and finally the third, double-locked behind a grille, concealing the treasures.

“With its entrances and exits, the cellar followed the rhythm of the restaurant, accompanying the dishes perfectly and promoted by a talented team. We can sum up by saying it was a ‘living cellar’, which is one of the finest compliments we can pay.”
Laurie Matheson and Luc Dabadie, Experts from the Fine Wine & Spirits department, Artcurial

This sale, with a total estimate of €1,2M, will feature every region of France and abroad with more than 7,500 bottles of some of the world's most renowned Grands Crus. Here is a sample of the most renowned domaines and winegrowers:

• In Alsace: wines from domaines Zind Humbrecht, Albert Mann, Trimbach and Deiss.

• In Champagne: Jacquesson, Agrapart, Deutz, Dom Perignon, Mumm, Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot, Cristal Roederer, Salon, Paillard.

• Also, wines from the South of France: Grange des Pères, Domaine de Trevallon, Domaine Montcalmes, Domaine Tempier and Jura with wines from Jean Macle and Puffeney.

• From the Loire: red and white wine from Thierry Germain, Dagueneau, Clos Rougeard, Yannick Amirault. And some wines from outside France, such as the German Egon Muller and Fritz Hagg, as well as the Italian Barolos of Roberto Voerzio.

The largest proportion of the cellar comes from the three following regions:

• Burgundy, with over 2,300 bottles. Amongst the red : Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Armand Rousseau, Denis Mortet, Henri Gouges, de Montille, Mongeard Mugneret, Trapet, Marquis d’Angerville, Gaunoux. And the white : Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Comtes Lafon, Domaine Leflaive, Niellon, Roulot, Jobard, Sauzet, Drouhin, Raveneau.

• The Rhône valley with more than 1,000 bottles. Including magnums from the Domaine Jean Louis Chave, bottles from Gaillard, Reynaud, Chapoutier, Guigal, Georges Vernay, Château de Beaucastel, Bernard Grippa, Paul Jaboulet Ainé and Gonon.

• And, of course, the essential Bordeaux. With Sauternes, Château de Fargues, Château Coutet, Château d’Yquem and Château Rieussec. Over 1,800 bottles of red Bordeaux from Château Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Montrose, Château Haut Bailly, Château Trotanoy and Pétrus to name but a few.

As for the vintages, certain bottles are old, others more recent, with years and crus to drink quickly and others stronger and more long-lasting.

Artcurial will also auction eight iconic items from the restaurant, such as a presse à canard (duck press) estimated at €3,000-4,000, and two trolleys, a Table à trancher, estimated at €4,000-6,000 and a Table à découper, estimated at €3,000-4,000, both from the Maison Christofle.

Information
Browse Catalogue

Auction
Thursday 23^rd June 2022 - 2pm
Lots 1 to 534
 

Friday 24^th June 2022 - 2pm
Lots 535 to 979

Public exhibition
Wednesday 22^nd June 2022, by appointment
12 rue de Ponthieu
75008 Paris

Contact
Marie Calzada
Tél. +33 1 42 99 20 24