More than 8,800 bottles of wine from the cellar of Spain's world-renowned elBulli restaurant will be auctioned in Hong Kong and New York next year in sales that could exceed $1 million, Sotheby's said on Wednesday.
The award-winning restaurant, headed by celebrated chef Ferran Adria for 27 years, was regarded by many as the best restaurant in the world. Before closing last year to make way for the elBulli Foundation, which will open in 2014, the restaurant had earned three Michelin stars among numerous other accolades for its gastronomic inventions and unusual dishes.
Proceeds from the sales will benefit the foundation.
Adria described the wines, which will be be sold in Hong Kong on April 3 and New York on April 26, as "an exceptional and unique collection."
He said in a statement that after elBulli transformed from a restaurant to a foundation, "we decided this very special and personal collection should be used to make a founding contribution to help ensure the successful launch of the elBulli Foundation."
The wine cellar was created by Juli Soler, who has been the director of elBulli since 1981 and was instrumental in bringing Adria to the restaurant that was founded 50 years ago.
Among the highlights of the sales will be 2,000 bottles of Spanish wine, including six vintages of Vega Sicilia "Unico."
