Monaco, 28 March 2024 – The Art of Great Wine by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer is celebrating 150 years. Created in 1874 at the request of Marie Blanc, the Hôtel de Paris Wine Cellars, the biggest hotel cellars in the world, inestimable in value, are launching a year of celebration in a changing setting. On the programme are exclusive dinners, conferences and master classes, in partnership with major wine and champagne estates. It kicked off on 21 March with a high-scale private dinner in association with the legendary Petrus estate. The passion for wine will be passed on throughout the year with the Route des Grands Crus. For the occasion, the Chefs Sommeliers at Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer have selected fine vintage wines that can be discovered by the glass in the bars and restaurants at the Resort. Finally, to commemorate this anniversary, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer is renewing its tradition of production by launching a limited series “Grande Champagne Premier Cru de Cognac, Les Caves Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo” in April 2024.
A new setting to host 4 ultra-exclusive dinners in 2024
Carved into the rock under the palace from January 1874, the Cellars in Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo occupy over 1,500 m². The biggest hotel cellar in the world is home, in a cool silence, to over 350,000 bottles laid over 1.5 kilometres, with almost 6,000 different labels. This is an absolutely unique concentration and wine collection, the rarity of which has made it famous in every corner of the world.
To coincide with the 150th anniversary, the cellars are getting a facelift and revealing the first stage in their metamorphosis: a new entrance and a new reception and tasting room, designed with the Moinard firm. The second phase is planned between November 2024 and March 2025.
These new spaces hosted VIP guests for the Petrus dinner on 21 March 2024, in the presence of Stéphane Valeri, Deputy Chairman of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, Jean Moueix, the owner of Petrus, Olivier Berrouet, winemaker at Petrus and Eric Simonet, Deputy CEO. After a visit of the Cellars, the dinner took place in the intimate setting of the Princess Grace Diamond Suite, with exclusive tasting of the rare Petrus vintages and a dinner created by Dominique Lory, Executive Chef at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo.
Three other exclusive dinners will take place in the cellars as part of these celebrations:
- 5 April 2024: Grands Crus Bordeaux dinner, in association with Château Cheval Blanc, Château d’Yquem, Château Haut-Brion and Château Margaux, orchestrated by Chef Yannick Alleno. The dinner will be preceded by a tasting and a conference on “climate change and its effects on the Fine Wines of Bordeaux”.
- 11 June 2024: Tenuta San Guido – Bolgheri dinner, also created by Yannick Alleno and preceded by a Master Class with the sommeliers and a private tasting with Mrs Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta from the Tuscan vineyard Tenuta San Guido that produces the great Sassicaia.
- 7 November 2024: Moët Hennessy dinner, signed by Emmanuel Pilon, Chef at Louis XV – Alain Ducasse at Hôtel de Paris. Preceded by a tasting and a conference on “climate change and its effects on Champagne”, this dinner will bring the festivities to a close
La Route des Grands Crus to introduce the treasures from the Cellar to everyone
From April to October 2024, guests at the restaurants of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Resort will be able to enjoy a selection of fine French wines by the glass. Vintage wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhône and Loire Valleys have been meticulously selected by the chefs sommeliers of the Group to complement the existing wine list. It is a unique opportunity to appreciate some rare and iconic wines, and to access the heritage of the Cellars in Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo.
Launch of a limited series “Grande Champagne Premier Cru de Cognac Les Caves Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo”
To celebrate their 150th anniversary, the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo Wine Cellars are renewing with their original tradition of production to create the “Grande Champagne Premier Cru de Cognac”, a highly crafted XO Extra Old quality Champagne cognac. This old XO is exclusively composed of liqueurs that come from the best fine Champagne locations such as Segonzac St Preuil and Bonneuil. Many decades ageing in oak casks in cool, humid cellars were required to age the eaux-de-vie that compose this assembly in order to make it long and soft, with a rancio that can be detected from the very first sip. Ugni Blanc, the variety used to create this exceptional beverage, endows this elixir with hints of leather and cigar boxes that are characteristic of fine aged cognacs. This cognac is both rich and balanced, revealing aromas of roasting and liquorice, to end on a long note of vanilla and toasted bread.
This unique world vintage will be available from April 2024 in the bars at the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Resort, in the Cellars in Hôtel de Paris and in the Casino de Monte-Carlo boutique.
The Cellars in Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo: a historical heritage that is unique in the world
A living heritage that is in constant evolution, to anticipate the tastes of the time and to pursue traditions: the Cellars use their history to evolve, and constitute a locomotive within the Resort when it comes to seeking out new ideas, new regions of the world and designations, new winegrowers, for a clientele that likes to discover what few are already aware of yet. As part of this, the Cellar play a less visible, yet capital logistics role, supplying more than 40 sales outlets within the Resort with wines and champagnes, spirits and beverages. 330,000 bottles of wine and champagne are opened and served every year, making an average of 900 bottles per day.
For Stéphane Valeri, Chairman and CEO of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer: “The 150 years of the Cellars in Hôtel de Paris celebrate the fabulous inheritance from Marie Blanc, as well as the passion and talent of our cellar-keepers and sommeliers who bring this heritage to fruition, whether in the heart of the Cellars, or in our thirty restaurants and bars today. For our group, this is a big, beautiful story about passing on and sharing. We are offering our clients this inheritance, to enjoy an unforgettable experience in our Cellars that are unique in the world.”
“This anniversary is a magnificent occasion to bring together our best wine enthusiast clients, guests at the Resort, as well as our teams around the values of wine: sharing, handing down, authenticity”, added Patrice Franck, Executive Chef Sommelier of the group.
Practical information
- Exclusive dinners on 5 April, 11 June and 7 November 2024
- Masterclass with tasting of 8 vintages on each date from 10am to noon.
- Conferences on each date, from 2.30 to 4.30pm.
Reservations: CavesHoteldeParis@sbm.mc – +377 98 06 89 04
https://www.montecarlosbm.com/
The Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo Cellars
About the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Group
Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer embodies a new and world-unique art de vivre that focuses on beauty, quality and wellness. The Resort offers Luxury Gaming in its casinos and “haute couture” experiences in its iconic palace hotels and their Diamond Suites, fine dining that is firmly in tune with the times, combining award-winning restaurants, international concepts and home-grown creations, as well as a top level artistic and cultural offering. The Resort also offers a great range of activities based around sport and well-being, shopping and nightlife. And because the new Art de vivre of Monte-Carlo must evolve towards an increasingly ethical and responsible form of luxury, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer has been committed since 2007 to a proactive policy in terms of energy transition, use of resources, waste, local gastronomy and protection of natural heritage. In 2023, the Group, which is the leading private employer in the Principality of Monaco, launched its fourth ethical charter to uphold its values of integrity and responsibility in its business practices.
