Sitting down to a behemoth wine book or lengthy wine list is impressive for most epicureans but for those diners who enthuse over what’s in their glass as much as what’s on their plates, they’ll want to consider reserving a table at a venue that boasts an equally awe-inspiring wine cellar.
From a subterranean cave carved into glacier rock underneath One MICHELIN Star Moss in Iceland to the circumambient wood cellar below One MICHELIN Star and Green Star Caruso's in Santa Barbara, here are 11 of the most stunning wine cellars at MICHELIN restaurants across the globe.
Wine is an integral part of a stay at this Lake Louise, Canada property. From The Dining Room to apres ski culture built into the mountainside lodge, guests have access to over 22,000 bottles and 3,600 selections. It's not just about quantity; their list is award winning. The wine cellar regularly features winemaker dinners or guests can host a private gathering for up to 14 guests.
Pro tip: During the holiday season, the cellar features a rare wines by the glass program that invites guests to indulge in exceptional selections such as Montrachet from Baron Thénard, Château Pétrus from Pomerol, and Château d’Yquem from Sauternes.
The sweeping views from Three MICHELIN Star La Pergola on the top floor of Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, are a given. Peek behind the curtain, though, and it's the bi-level wine cellar hosting over 76,000 bottles that epicureans will love. The modern design of the cellar includes clear glass flooring to allow for a view into the level below as well as striking hexagonal racks carved out of limestone. The list contains some 3,600 labels, including multiple wines from premier producers like Gaja Barbaresco and rarities like 1922 Chateau Lafite Rothschild and 1945 Pétrus.
Pro tip: While not a widely open setting, Rome Cavalieri can organize tastings and cellar tours on select occasions.
Tucked into Cashel Palace Hotel in Tipperary, Ireland, One MICHELIN Star The Bishop’s Buttery features weathered brick walls under vaulted ceilings and an open fire centerpiece. The intimate wine cellar is a continuation of the charming front-of-house decor with stone floors, wooden storage racks above half vaults storing candles, and old-world wine boxes. There are around 2,500 bottles in the cellar with standout labels including Francois Raveneau in Chablis, Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet, Arnoux Lachaux Clos de Vougeot, Ornellaia in Tuscany, and Torres Mas la Plana in Penedes. There are also bottles from some of the most impressive labels from all five of the First Growths in Bordeaux and vintages dating as far back as 1939 from Chateau Cheval Blanc.
Pro tip: Book a Chef’s Table dining experience that pairs each seasonal course with a matching wine for an in-depth taste of some of the best labels in the cellar.
This 1,500-square-meter labyrinth under Three MICHELIN Key Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo is one of the largest hotel wine cellars in the world (and One MICHELIN Star Le Grill reaps the benefits). Dating back to 1874, the cellar has accumulated more than 350,000 bottles with around 5,500 references. There are five main categories represented here from across France: Champagne, Provence, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhone Valley.
Pro tip: Guests can book private cellar tastings and tours.
Guests are whisked into a subterranean layer surrounded by preserved lava from a 1226 eruption to this wine cellar, located three meters below The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon and its accompanying restaurant, One MICHELIN Star Moss. The collection is anchored by Old World selects from France’s most revered wine regions, but also features timeless labels from Italy, Spain, and Germany alongside New World bottles from the Americas and Australia.
Pro tip: The cellar is bookable for daily private tastings or as a buyout for private events.
There are multiple cellars at this One MICHELIN Star London institution, but it's the Barrel Room that boasts the most draw. In 2016, Tully Filmer meticulously restored the original room (dating back to 1851) to offer a private and safe storage cellar for their most precious wines, albeit with character, as it showcases original ceilings and marble floors. About 120 bottles are stored here, with notable labels like 1990 Petrus and 1999 Château Cheval Blanc, Burgundian Classic 1994 La Tâche Grand Cru from Domaine de la Romanée Conti, and Piemonte’s icon 2002 Barolo Monfortino Riserva by Giacomo Conterno.
Pro tip: Head Sommelier Piotr Sikorski tailors every tasting opportunity here to guest preferences before a dinner in the restaurant’s famed “Naughty Table.”
The interior portion of One MICHELIN Star Il Refettorio is housed in an ancient cistern from the original 17th-century Dominican monastery (now part of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa). Prior to walking out to the sweeping views of the Amalfi Coast locale, guests meander past hundreds of bottles displayed in custom wood and glass cabinets along the corridor that leads to the bar. This is the main cantina which boasts 1,000 labels. Prestigious producers in the collection include Soris going back to 1998, a beautiful collection of Biondi Santi Riserva going back to 1988, Solaia back to 1995, a magnum of 2003 Masseto, and a great collection of Champagne, including a 2008 Krug Clos du Mesnil.
Pro tip: The restaurant hosts Ancient Pompeii dinners with a special menu highlighting period ingredients. They also host special winery paired dinners and offer insider experiences at local wineries.
Spread between two chambers in De L’Europe Amsterdam, the collection of 9,000 bottles and 1,200 references is an impressive selection, of which wine director Antonello Nicastri invites guests to discover their new favorite wines among “aged treasures.” These include various vintages of Leflaive, Gaja, Romanée Conti, and an extensive Bordeaux collection, showcasing top vintages, as well as a unique selection of Clos du Champagne, comprising 33 different Clos.
Pro tip: Though the wine chamber that connects to Freddy’s Bar is stunning, the second chamber boasts the more eclectic and rare bottles at the same level as the Amstel River for a sight you have to see to believe.
Tuscan wine cellars are known to be cozy and familiar, yet Saporium’s cellar brings exclusivity to the repertoire with its 1,200 labels focusing on the region’s top producers. The hand-selected bottles are displayed amongst aged brick and exposed wooden beams inviting guests to experience a series of tailor-made luxury tastings at the heart of the cellar.
Pro tip: Take a Super Tuscan masterclass for a better understanding of this revolutionary style on wine culture throughout the region.
The vibrant and bright dining room of Two MICHELIN Star Paco Roncero on the top floor of NH Collection Real Casino of Madrid extends to the wine cellar where 5,000 bottles are organized in neat rows according to the 750 references. The wine list was designed to be well-rounded, representing all the wine areas of the world, with the team consistently taking inventory to ensure no wine is ever missing from the list.
Pro tip: Guests can book their workshop experience as a private tasting with wines to accompany the tasting menu.
The start of 2024 saw 750 selections added to One MICHELIN Star and Green Star Caruso’s already extensive wine list (with an inventory of 22,000 bottles). Though the Montecito restaurant within Rosewood Miramar Beach carries pride-boasting labels like 1924 Petrus, the oldest wine on the list, and between 70 to 90 regular offerings of large formats, including a 1997 Salon Blanc de Blancs Champagne, the cellar holds true to the restaurant and hotel’s mission of maintaining a sense of place. Thus, there’s a grand representation of hyper-local and California based producers.
Pro tip: Caruso’s hosts nightly wine education sessions and regular blind tastings as well as monthly programming with esteemed winemakers.
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