Just imagine! A 12-metre dive underground, into these olden days halls with their old-fashioned charm, discreetly lit up by wrought iron lanterns. It’s like entering the vaults of a centuries-old castle. A secret, authentic, mysterious universe. Some 350,000 bottles for a total of nearly 7,000 references, the greatest vintage wines among them, are aging here gracefully. This is to supply 40 sale points, primarily restaurants, including Michelin-starred ones…
Welcome to the magical world of the Hôtel de Paris cellars, carefully watched over by an expert and artist passionate about his wines. Head Cellar Master at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Gennaro Iorio, is introducing us to this sanctuary that eventually became his home. Having kept a delicious Neapolitan accent, he exults in walking us around these 150-year-old rooms buried under the rock that contain some genuine treasures. And memories too. It’s in this greater than a century-old and authentic place that Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. It’s here that the then teenager, Prince Albert, was celebrating his birthday in the family circle…
This was also a venue for some historic events and anecdotes happening away from prying eyes. During World Ward II, a wall was built to isolate the most prestigious bottles being stored. The Nazis, used to seizing all the wines on occupied territory, were thus oblivious to the greatest vintages being walled up right under their nose. They virtually left empty-handed…
To mark their 150th anniversary, the cellars are getting a makeover with a new entrance, a reception and tasting room, designed by an industry expert, Moinard. Once the second phase of the reconstruction is finished around March 2025, this place will comfortably accommodate some forty guests.
“Our hotel cellar is the largest in the world. Only the Tour d’Argent in Paris could liken to it. Organizing auctions and selling bottles, however, the Tour d’Argent does not adhere to the same philosophy. We are completely different here, our wines are served exclusively in our SBM resorts. With the Princely Palace being the only exception…”
The cellars were dug 150 years ago in the Hôtel de Paris gardens at the initiative of François Blanc’s wife, ten years after the Société des Bains de Mer foundation. The visionary François thus gave rise to SBM as such, whilst his inspired, creative and generous wife Marie, had the idea of creating the legendary Monte-Carlo Opera and that of the wine cellars to meet the increasing demand of the Hôtel de Paris clientele.
To start with, it was all about having bottling premises, only used to store wine in bulk. Barrels and casks arrived directly from Bordeaux. Back in the day, merchants, not the producers, were the ones bottling the Grand Cru wines. In the 1960s, the storage spaces were replaced by racks, completely changing the layout. These days, the bottles are nestled horizontally in racks, carefully assembled and labelled to ease handling. The right temperature and humidity ensure optimal preservation.
But some things don’t change. “We have Bordeaux in our DNA, with our wine card boasting thirty of its premier grands crus classés. Our mission consists in maturing wines. We are probably the only ones in France to purchase the wines directly from the producers. We choose the bottles, pay the price and receive them two years later. After that, we take meticulous care of them to let these bottles age in optimal conditions. We have total traceability here. All the bottles come directly from the châteaux… We may be depriving ourselves of certain things, but our ethics remain unchanged. No business with individuals, resellers or online sellers. Each bottle is “Hôtel de Paris” guaranteed”.
All the major French wine regions are represented here and a special place is given to the increasingly popular international wines. A team of sommeliers tactfully advise customers minding both their preferences, and the food and wine pairings.
“The most difficult thing is forecasting. The world of wine is one that changes a lot. Our goal is unearthing the wines of the future to meet the ever changing customer preferences. We attend all the trade fairs, in France and abroad; we travel to find new winemakers… Climate change may partially account for the evolution; alcohol consumption is also no longer the same. We drink less but better. Catering to the tastes of today, the trickiest thing is putting ourselves in the customer’s shoes. That’s what our job is about”.
A great Hôtel de Paris signature cognac
After the visit comes the tasting. After the tasting, the starter. After the starter, the dinner… The offer evolves around an increasingly strong and diversified demand. The provisional layout gives an overview of what the Hôtel de Paris Cellars have to offer. Designed to welcome around thirty gourmets, this space can naturally be privatized for exceptional events. Once the renovation is completed in May 2025, discover its new premises and a small museum preserving the most precious bottles.
The customer experience takes on a new dimension in this space remade and decorated by the most skilled designers. Four major celebrations (sumptuous dinners orchestrated by the greatest chefs for the happy few) mark the cellars 150th anniversary. And much more than that. The legend still remains. Excellence, invariably honouring quality but also, rarity.
“One of the great Hôtel de Paris Cellar traditions has always been cognac and armagnac blends. To celebrate our 150th anniversary, we have revived the tradition of having our own cognac. We have a barrel kept only for a pipette service and glass tasting. The bottles come directly from Cognac”.
The oldest bottles in the Cellars are filled with Premier Cru Grande Champagne cognac. This exceptional eau-de-vie dated 1800, 1805, 1809, also comes in a particularly outstanding 1811 “King of Rome” cuvée. That’s the year Napoleon II was born and “crowned” King of Rome by his father Napoleon Bonaparte. According to Gennaro Iorio, “We still have five 1811 bottles. The last one, sixth of the lot, was served in honour of Sir William Churchill.”
Let’s wish for the Hôtel de Paris Cellars to have many more remarkable events marking their great history. Celebrating their hundred and fiftieth anniversary, this historic institution is now taking on a new momentum in a new setting.
