$1.5 Million Worth of Wine Disappears From the ‘Oldest Restaurant in Paris’; No Signs of Break-In
La Tour d’Argent restaurant in Paris, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
La Tour d’Argent, the historic Parisian restaurant that served as the inspiration for Chef Gusteau’s in “Ratatouille,” has found itself at the center of a perplexing caper.
A recent inventory of the restaurant’s wine cellar — which boasts over 320,000 wines, some dating back to 1870 — revealed that 83 bottles had gone missing since inventory was last conducted in 2020. Among the missing bottles was a handful of Domaine de la Romanée-Contis, which regularly fetch prices between $10,000-$40,000 each.
Paris Judicial Police are unsure when the bottles were heisted, noting no signs of a break-in.
La Tour d’Argent was founded in 1582 under the reign of Henry IV. Over the centuries, the acclaimed eatery has fluctuated between 1 and 3 Michelin stars, opened a sister location in Tokyo, and drawn customers the world over for its signature pressed duck.
Following a brief closure, the restaurant reopened in 2023 to unveil extensive renovations. The premises now include a ground-floor bar, rooftop terrace and hotel suite for visiting guests.
In this photo dated Oct. 15 2009: The renowned Tour d’Argent restaurant in Paris wraps up a two-day auction of treasures from its cellar of wine and spirits, with one of the highlights being a bottle of 1788 Vieux Cognac which sold for euro 25,000 (dlrs. 36,800). (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
The restaurant’s wine collection, headed up by sommelier Victor Gonzalez, is debatably the largest in France. Its gargantuan wine menu alone clocks in at nearly 17 pounds, more closely resembling an encyclopedia than anything you’d find in an eatery. The cellar’s value is estimated at around $30 million — or rather, $28.5 million, in light of the recent disappearance.
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