Dates set for El Bulli cellar auction

Dates are set for the auction of El Bulli's wine cellar, which could fetch up to US$1.6m for the now-closed restaurant's new research foundation.

‘Exceptional and unique collection’: El Bulli

Sotheby’s will offer 8,807 bottles from the cellar of the celebrated Catalan restaurant at two auctions next year, in Hong Kong on 3 April and in New York on 26 April.

Sales should total between US$1.1m and US$1.6m, the auction house estimated.

‘The El Bulli Cellar comprises an exceptional and unique collection of wines,’ said Ferran Adria, the chef whose ‘molecular gastronomy’ earned El Bulli Michelin stars and several awards before closing in July 2011.

At the auctions there will be multiple vintages of all Bordeaux first growths, spearheaded by magnums of Chateau Latour 2005. There are also five Yquem vintages between 1989 and 2001. No price estimates are given for these.

Other highlights include rare sherry and a wealth of riches from Domaine de la Romanée Conti (DRC). Three bottles of Romanée Conti 1990 are expected to form the highest value lot, fetching between US$32,500 and US$47,500.

These are backed up by 28 bottles of Montrachet from DRC. Altogether, Sotheby’s will sell 1,000 bottles of white Burgundy for an estimated US$166,000 to US$228,000.

It will also auction 2,000 bottles of Spanish wine, including Vega Sicilia, Clos Mogador and Clos Erasmus, for up to US$300,000.

Funds from the sales will support the El Bulli Foundation, a gastronomic research and innovation body that will publish results via its ‘Bullipedia’ website.

Written by Chris Mercer