Christie’s presents an outstanding selection of wines from the renowned cellar of the beloved Le Gavroche
London – Now open for browsing, Christie’s Le Gavroche Part I: The Restaurant and Le Gavroche Part II: The Wine Cellar will provide a rare opportunity to obtain a piece of one of London’s most loved restaurants ahead of the two sales taking place online from 10-24 April. Following the initial announcement, Le Gavroche Part I: The Restaurant will comprise pictures, drawings, prints, decorative objects and porcelain from the restaurant which finally closed its doors to guests in January, after a 57-year journey. Le Gavroche Part II: The Wine Cellar will present an impressive range of sublime wines, including bottles acquired by Albert Roux OBE, showcasing an array of top Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and Rhône wines, alongside Loire, Alsace, Port, Tuscany and more.
Le Gavroche Part I: The Restaurant
Notable lots include the iconic street urchin painting from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, hung prominently in the restaurant since its inception in 1967 (estimate: £10,000-15,000), alongside the illuminated Le Gavroche restaurant sign (estimate £1,000-1,500). The guestbook, across two volumes, contains over 500 signatures from acclaimed visitors over the years including Charlie Chaplin, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Barbra Streisand among others (estimate: £3,000-5,000).
The auction will also contain several porcelain objects including a group of three ‘Le Gavroche’ espresso sets with a porcelain Le Gavroche espresso cup, saucer and silver-plated spoon (estimate: £200-300), a pair of silver-plated champagne buckets (estimate: £1,000-2,000) and a Wedgewood and Halcyon Days porcelain part dinner-service, featuring the iconic Le Gavroche show plate (estimate: £800-1,200 for 8 part and £1,000-1,500 for 12 part). Glassware also features, including a group of glass decanters, each engraved with the Le Gavroche figurine (estimate: £1,200-1,800). A lifetime collection of cookery books, ranging from rare editions to modern signed texts from the Library of Albert Roux OBE will be offered, including books on regional French cooking, cheese, bread, wine and spirits and puddings and patisserie (estimates from £300-500), as well as a group of seven Le Gavroche menus and wine lists (estimate: £100-200), and a selection of decorative objects including a cast metal ‘Le Gavroche’ lamp (estimate: £100-200). The auction will additionally include the artworks displayed at the restaurant, from Joan Miró to Pauline Bewick and William Balthazar Rose.
The Le Gavroche Part I: The Restaurant sale will additionally offer a private three-course meal for six guests at Christie’s King Street, cooked by Michel Roux, who will donate the entire proceeds, if sold, to industry charity Hospitality Action, established in 1837. Hospitality Action offers assistance to all who work, or have worked within hospitality in the UK, from chefs to waiters, housekeepers, managers, kitchen porters, receptionists and sommeliers (estimate: £10,000-15,000).
Gavroche Part II: The Wine Cellar
Le Gavroche Part II: The Wine Cellar offers more than 600 lots including a meticulously curated assortment of exceptional Burgundy, spanning both white and red from some of Burgundy’s greatest Domaine’s including the magnificent Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 2013 (estimate: £9,000-12,000 per bottle), rare Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, Musigny Vieilles Vignes 2010 (estimate: £3,000-3,500 per 6 bottles) and the prestigious Corton Charlemagne, Domaine Bonneau du Martray 2017 (estimate £1,500-1,800 per 3 magnums). Further Burgundy highlights include the outstanding Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2009 (estimate £16,000-24,000 per 2 bottles), Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche 2004 & 2006 (estimate: £13,000-17,000 per 5 bottles) and Domaine Joseph Drouhin, Musigny Grand Cru 2005 (estimate £3,500-5,000 per 5 bottles).
A collection of celebrated Bordeaux will feature including the decadent and sought-after Le Pin 2008 (estimate £9,000-12,000 per 6 bottles) and 1967 Château Latour, one of the finest Bordeaux wine producers from the same year that Le Gavroche was established (estimate £2,000-3,000 per jeroboam). Noteworthy Vintage Champagne lots are highlighted by prestigious names such as Salon Le Mesnil, 2002 & 2006 (estimate £3,800 – 5,000 per 7 bottles) and rare magnums of Krug 1971 & 1975 (estimate £6,000-8,500 per 4 magnums).
Le Gavroche Part II: The Wine Cellar will also include highly collectable wines from Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the most prestigious names in fine wine (Mouton Rothschild 2000, estimate £8,000-10,000 per jeroboam) and Côte Rotie La Mouline from Domaine Guigal, the notable estate in the Rhône Valley, including vintages 2006 and 2007 (estimate £2,000–2,600 per 11 bottles).
