The restaurant that inspired Ratatouille has called in the police.
One of the world’s most famous restaurants, Paris’ legendary Tour d’Argent, reported 83 bottles of rare wine missing on Friday. The vintages are reportedly worth £1.28 million (or $1.6 million).
The wines, which are gone from the restaurant’s labyrinth-like cellars, reports French newspaper Le Parisien, included prestigious Bordeaux such as Romanéé Conti. According to the newspaper’s experts, connoisseurs will pay upwards of $16,000 for a bottle of the 2011 while a slightly older 1999 vintage can fetch over $30,000.
The restaurant maintains an encyclopedia-like wine list and its cellars, running hundreds of yards along the Seine river, are a privileged location. It currently houses 300,000 bottles.
The rooftop restaurant reopened in October after a complete, 18-month-long renovation, and the loss was uncovered this month during inventory of its cellars. Police are investigating the matter though no evidence of robbery has been found, according to the BBC.
Tour d’Argent has hosted thousands of celebrities including Queen Elizabeth and Sir Paul McCartney. It is also frequently cited as having served as inspiration for Gusteau’s restaurant in Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille.
The 400-year-old restaurant is equally well known for its spectacular views overlooking Notre Dame as its two-course serving of pressed duck. The bird prepared tableside has been the restaurant’s specialty since it was introduced by Frederic Delair in 1890. Tour d’Argent raises its own Challans breed on a farm and diners who order the duck receive a souvenir postcard with the serial number of votre canard (your duck).
Duck no. 112,151 went to U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, no. 203,728 to Marlene Dietrich, and no. 253,652 was served to Charlie Chaplin.
In October when the restaurant reopened after renovations, duck no. 1,178,727 left the press, according to the Michelin Guide.