Top New York restaurant Le Cirque is auctioning rare bottles of Margaux, Petrus and Yquem in a bid create more storage space in its cellars.

The restaurant, in the city’s East Side area, is selling hundreds of bottles through Nywines/Christie’s at its 17 November sale. The majority of the wines, which come to 170 lots, were held in the 8.2m (27 feet) glass and steel cellar in the centre of the restaurant’s café.

Highlights of the collection include cases of 1959 Château Margaux (estimated at US$20,000, £12,300), 1982 Château Mouton-Rothschild ($18,000, £11,000), 1995 Château Pétrus (US$20,000) and 1967 Château d’Yquem (US$18,000).

Owner Sirio Maccioni says the proceeds will go to refreshing his wine list and to pave the way for more recent vintages.

Maccioni has played host to the rich and famous for almost three decades. Past diners include Henry Kissinger, Woody Allen and King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Bidders at the auction will also be offered a US$395 (£243) four-course dinner.

Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York

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Howard G Goldberg
Howard G Goldberg
Decanter Magazine, Food & Wine Writer

Howard G Goldberg is a wine writer and critic based in New York City. He made his name writing about wine for The New York Times, where he worked for 34 years. He has written various books on food and wine, including Prime: The Complete Prime Rib Book and All About Wine Cellars. He compiled The New York Times Book of Wine – a collection of the publication’s best wine articles.