New York: For the New York high-flyers who entrusted their vintage wines to a high-tech Manhattan storage cellar, 24-hour security and a video surveillance system seemed to guarantee the safety of their treasured bottles.

But several wealthy oenophiles are now suing the WineCare warehouse because they have not been allowed access to their Bollinger, Barolo and Chateauneuf-du-Pape for several months. Some even fear their multi-million-dollar collections may have been destroyed.

Wine cellar Credit:Melissa Adams

The case, in which a New York bankruptcy court will hear the latest motion on Tuesday, is one of the less-known consequences of the devastating impact of Superstorm Sandy, which struck the city last October.

WineCare stored wine in cellars cooled to 55F (12.7 C), with humidity maintained to 60 per cent, the best conditions for vintage bottles. Clients could use a computer program to track each bottle in the 27,000 cases. A daily delivery service to dinner parties was part of the substantial fee.