Five miles outside the town of Chippenham in the rolling Wiltshire countryside a precious treasure is stored in a very unlikely location. Buried deep under 100ft of clay and encased in millions of tons of limestone, nearly £1bn worth of fine wines sits safe from prying eyes and unwanted attention.
As my taxi pulls up outside the main gate at Corsham Cellars security is obviously tight. There are motion detectors, razor wire, huge steel doors and 24-hour guards that James Bond would struggle to overcome. All of this technology is designed to protect acre upon acre of Châteaux Lafites, Pétrus, Latours and Margauxs, which have literally been buried underground in a disused mine.
“The locals call it the wine mine,” my friendly country cabbie tells me as I get out to confirm my identity at the security desk. “My daughter used to work down there for a while; it’s a funny place, like a set from The Avengers or something.”
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