Dijon auctions off wine cellar to pay for social housing

The town of Dijon has auctioned off half of its wine cellar to pay for social housing projects.

Auction will help pay for social housing: Dijon

In a sign of the continuing financial crisis in France’s regional governments, 3,500 bottles of wine were sold to local inhabitants, negociants, Parisian restaurateurs and foreign buyers, mainly from the US and Asia.

The auction raised €151,620, with the most expensive wine sold a Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux 1999 for €4800 to an ‘Asian buyer’.

The wine cellar has been kept by the city of Dijon, the regional capital of Burgundy, since 1960, and stocks many bottles donated by local winemakers.

‘The wines are generally served during official dinners given by the city of Dijon, but also given to ambassadors, visiting officials and other key visitors to Dijon’, mayor François Rebsamen said.

The mayor’s cellar should live to see another day, however 10% of the money raised by the sale is to be put back into buying new bottles.

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux