MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ The elegant rooms of the Forge, with ornate sconces, stained glass ceilings and Greek sculptures, still draw the rich and fashionable, and those who want to be.

For decades, fine cuisine and impeccable service have been mainstays of the landmark restaurant, which has evolved from a hangout for Frank Sinatra and Jackie Gleason to a hotspot for today’s Hollywood and modeling set.

But one thing hasn’t been the same, at least since Hurricane Andrew in 1992: The renowned vintages in the Forge’s wine cellar. They’ve been the center of a battle between the Forge’s owners and its insurance companies that was settled only in the past few weeks.

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The hurricane, which leveled parts of south Dade County, knocked out power for five days to the Forge’s wine cellars, shutting down coolers that kept the cellars at 53 degrees to protect delicate vintages. Some of the wines dated to 1822.

The restaurant’s owners, Alvin and Shareef Malnik, claimed that after the hurricane it became clear that 90-degree August heat had ruined wines that Alvin Malnik said sold for up to $150,000 a bottle.

Word spread among regulars that the Forge’s wine collection, winner of Wine Spectator magazine’s coveted Grand Award for 15 years, wasn’t the same. The restaurant’s wine steward testified that diners began rejecting 99 percent of the wines, compared with less than 1 percent before the hurricane.

The Malniks’ primary insurer, Assicurazioni Generali of Italy, initially paid them $450,000. In 1994 they sued that company and their supplemental insurer, Transamerica Insurance Co., claiming $5 million in losses _ $3 million for the wine alone.

Dozens of witnesses were called to testify in depositions.

The Malniks hired Clive Coates, a British wine master and author of books and a newsletter on fine wines. The insurance companies brought in another British wine master, Derek Smedley, who described himself as a wine adviser to the Lord Mayor of London.

Both experts came to Miami Beach in 1994 for an upscale taste-off. Coates sampled 46 bottles, Smedley 26.

Coates declared ``the entire inventory is ruined, and cannot be sold.″ Smedley wouldn’t go that far, but said that while some bottles could be satisfactory, ``others will be totally unacceptable.″

Coates declared the 1978 Chateau Haut-Brion ``cooked, dirty, astringent. Horrid! What a pity!″ and the 1987 Puligny-Montrachet Pucelles ``tired and flabby and pinched at the end.″

Smedley, who the insurance companies had hoped would help their cause, declared the 1881 Chateau Pinchon Lalande to be ``vinegar.″ Neither side established the potential price of that vintage and Smedley didn’t return calls for comment.

Smedley agreed with Coates’ disappointment with the 1982 Chambertin Clos de Beze, describing it as ``rather stewed and dried out.″

A judge ruled that the Forge deserved double the price it paid for the wines, but the case never went to trial. The two sides agreed on July 17 to settle out of court with the insurance companies paying $2.75 million.

``We wound up settling it for 50 cents on the dollar, so Transamerica was very happy with the way it turned out,″ said Joel Adler, a Miami attorney who represented Transamerica.

Alvin and Shareef Malnik and their lawyer, Robert Shupack, didn’t return calls seeking comment.

Coates said some older wines are not meant to be consumed but are mostly prestige collectors’ items.

``Some wines are so old that you really have to be a necrophiliac to enjoy them,″ he said.