Connoisseurs of fine wine will readily spend large sums of money to enjoy their favorite vintages. This list of the most expensive wine in the world shows what eye-watering amounts some bottles sell for at auction. Having said that, a few of these record-breaking wine prices have been achieved at charity auctions and benefited some great causes.
Most Expensive Wine Bottles
Up to the last twenty years, the most expensive wine in the world was exclusively from French vineyards. However, there are now a few New World contenders for the most expensive bottles of wine. Here are ten fine wines that have achieved eye-wateringly high prices at auction.
10. Chateau d’Yquem 1811
This vintage wine from iconic Chateau d’Yquem holds the Guinness World Record as the most expensive bottle of white wine in the world. This estate in the Sauternes region of France belonged to the King of England in the Middle Ages.
A vineyard was later established here, which flourished under the direction of Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d’Yquem. The wine was popular with connoisseurs including the US President at the time, Thomas Jefferson.
1811 was a great harvest and Chateau Yquem wine is known for its longevity. This exceptional Sauternes wine was purchased by Christian Vanneque, a sommelier and restaurateur who drank it on the 50th anniversary of his career in wine.
Auction Price: $117,000
Year Sold: 2011
9. Château Lafite 1787
Owned by the Rothschild family, Chateau Lafite in France is famous for its Bordeaux wines. This outstanding vintage was another favorite wine of Thomas Jefferson.
It is thought that Jefferson even visited the estate, and that he owned this particular bottle of Bordeaux. The initials T.J. are etched onto the glass.
Publisher Malcolm Forbes bought this Chateau Lafite wine. However, there has been some question of whether it is genuine or fake, and it’s nicknamed the Billionaire’s Vinegar!
Auction Price: $156,450
Year Sold: 1985
8. Penfolds Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
The first non-French wine making an entrance in our list of the most expensive wine in the world is from South Australia. This renowned winery commissioned a hand-blown glass ampoule, housed in a hand-tooled wooden cabinet.
As part of the sale, the Penfolds chief winemaker travelled to the home of each buyer to help them open it using a specially designed sterling silver scribe-snap similar to a cigar cutter. Only 12 ampoule bottles were made in total.
The wine itself comes from 130 year-old vines and is in high demand. This Barossa wine has a rich complexity and notes of blackberries and macerated cherries.
Auction Price: $168,000
Year Sold: 2012
7. Château Margaux 1787
This exclusive bottle of Bordeaux wine holds the unfortunate record for the most expensive bottle of wine ever broken. New York wine merchant, William Sokolin owned this Chateau Margaux bottle of wine on consignment.
It was thought to have previously been owned by Thomas Jefferson, as like the Chateau Lafite previously mentioned, the initials Th.J. were etched on the bottle. Sokolin was trying to sell the bottle for $500,000 but had no takers and had the bottle insured for $225,000.
He took the bottle to a Château Margaux dinner at the Four Seasons. Unfortunately, a waiter bumped into the table, smashing the unopened bottle.
Insured For: $225,000
Year of Insurance Payout: 1989
6. Château Lafite-Rothschild 1869
At a wine auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in 2010, three bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild sold for $ 233,972 each to an anonymous Asian bidder. Estimated at $60,000 each, the wines were subject to a bidding war.
Chateau Lafite wines are in high demand with wine collectors in Asia and these particular vintages were the very first ever bottled at Lafite. They were also the first wines produced under the ownership of Baron James de Rothschild.
Many French vineyards were badly affected by phylloxera in the late 1800s. This wine is a rare pre-phylloxera vintage, which explains the high price tag.
Auction Price: $233,972
Year Sold: 2010
5. Château Cheval Blanc 1947
One of the best clarets in the world, Chateau Cheval Blanc 1947 is one of only four to hold the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status. This is the highest classification of Saint-Émilion wine.
Only a few thousand cases of Chateau Cheval Blanc were ever produced. Most of these were consumed soon after its release, making this Bordeaux wine extremely rare.
In 2010, an Imperial sized bottle of Chateau Cheval Blanc, equal to eight 750 ml bottles, sold for $304,375 at a Christie’s auction in Geneva. It is the only known bottle in this Imperial format of this particular vintage.
Auction Price: $304,375
Year Sold: 2010
4. Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945
Another over-sized wine bottle that achieved a record price at auction is a rare Chateau Mouton-Rothschild from 1945. Due to the late frost that year, the vintage was the smallest since 1915.
This jeroboam of 4.5 liters is the equivalent of six regular wine bottles. It is decorated with a V for victory, designed by the artist Philippe Jullian, hailing the end of World War II.
Auction Price: $310,700
Year Sold:
3. The Setting Wines Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
In 2017, at a charity auction dinner organized by The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, a rare bottle of 2015 The Setting Wines Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was bought for $350,000. Together with the Foundation’s sold-out Boudin, Bourbon, and Beer event, $3.5 million dollars was raised in that weekend for children’s charities.
The Setting is a collection of luxury wines created by friends Noah McMahon, Jeff Cova and Jesse Katz. Jesse is an award-winning winemaker who has worked with Chateau Petrus and Screaming Eagle.
Auction Price: $350,000
Year Sold: 2017
2. Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
The iconic Screaming Eagle Winery in Napa Valley, California made its first vintage in 1992. Since then they have gone from strength to strength, with a limited production of 500 to 850 cases each year.
Original owner Jean Phillips was connected to winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett by the Robert Mondavi team. Their 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon vintage was awarded 99 points by wine critic Rober Parker.
Since then, Screaming Eagle 1997 and 2007 vintages achieved the perfect score of 100 points. There are reportedly over 4,000 people on the Screaming Eagle membership waiting list.
As a result, prices for public purchase by non-members are sky high. A single bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992 is the most expensive Napa Valley wine ever sold. It is also the most expensive wine made in the U.S.
Auction Price: $500,000
Year Sold: 2000
1. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1945
The most expensive wine in the world is a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru from Burgundy, France. Only 600 bottles of this legendary wine were made in 1945, which explains the high price.
What’s more, this is the last year that grapes were harvested from these particular vines. The vines were then removed and younger vines were planted in their place.
The Sotheby’s auction estimate was $32,000 so the record-breaking sale price of $558,000 was quite unexpected. A few minutes later, another bottle of the same wine and vintage sold for $496,000.
These rare vintage wines belonged to Robert Drouhin, himself a well-known wine maker. His father Maurice Drouhin was the sole distributor of Romanee Conti in France and Belgium from 1928 to 1964.
When France was invaded by Germany in the 1930s, Maurice built a secret cellar wall to protect the wines. Maurice was a key member of the French Resistance movement, as General Douglas McArthur’s liaison officer.
The Gestapo discovered this and sent an execution squad for Maurice. He was warned in advance and escaped through the cellar vaults and the now famous Door of Freedom to the Hospices de Beaunes. Maurice was hidden in the building by the nuns until the Liberation in 1944.
Auction Price: $558,000
Year Sold: 2018
Why Are These the Most Expensive Wines in the World?
As we’ve seen, rare wines with a connection to prominent figures such as Thomas Jefferson can command exceptionally high prices at auction. Grand Cru wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy made of pinot noir are also in great demand.
All of these costly wines are extremely rare, creating a supply-demand imbalance. Most of them are aged in French oak. The rarest examples are known as unicorn wines.
This term was originally coined on Instagram by high-end sommeliers in New York. It designates incredibly exclusive wines such as the Shipwreck Champagne.
Reportedly sold at auction for $275,000, Heidsieck Monopole Gout Americain 1907 was one of 2,500 bottles salvaged from the wreck of the Jonkoping in 1997. The ship had been torpedoed by a German submarine in the first World War. The champagne was quite well preserved, being in salt water at a temperature of 4° C and protected from any light.
Having said that, many wines that are over 100 years old will not taste all that good!
Here’s a summary of the most expensive wine in the world:
- Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1945
- Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
- The Setting Wines Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
- Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945
- Château Cheval Blanc 1947
- Château Lafite-Rothschild 1869
- Château Margaux 1787
- Penfolds Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
- Château Lafite 1787
- Chateau d’Yquem 1811
Read Next:
- Best New York Wineries
- Most Expensive Buildings in the World
- Most Valuable Currencies in the World
- Top Dom Pérignon Vintages
Like this guide to the most expensive wine in the world? Pin for later or share with friends.
