The 10 Most Expensive Wines Ever Sold

Most wines are consumed shortly after purchase and sell for under $50 a bottle. But occasionally, wine auctions ripple with excitement over coveted finds that command staggering prices.

So, what makes the most expensive wines ever sold so valuable? And why are wine lovers and collectors alike watching the results of these auctions like hawks? These valuable wines are often linked to historical events and happenings within the wine industry, including memorable vintages. But they could also be connected to famous people or events.

These record-breaking sales at auction are documented in the news and generate considerable buzz among wine enthusiasts. A small pool of collectors view these auctions with great interest, hunting down rare wines to tuck away and open when the time is right. Similar to the owners of private art collections, who are always in search of the next Picasso or Warhol, wine collectors are always in search of the perfect bottle.

Read on to learn more about 10 of the most expensive wines ever sold.

What is The Most Expensive Wine Ever Sold?

In 2018, a world record was made at an auction in Switzerland when a bottle of wine was sold for $558,000. Several years later, there still hasn’t been a wine sale to beat this price. Why did someone spend more than half a million on a single bottle of wine? This particular wine’s appeal came from the winery’s reputation, the wine’s rarity, and its age. But you’ll have to read on to find out the exact details!

1. 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Price Realized: $558,000

Year Sold: 2018

What Drove the Price: In 1945, only 600 bottles of this world-famous wine were produced. This was also the last year grapes were harvested from the winery’s older vines before younger ones were planted in their place. 

Sometimes referred to simply as DRC, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is one of Burgundy, France’s most storied vineyards, often commanding high prices at auction. But in 2018, a bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from a private collection—estimated to sell at $32,000 — was sold by Sotheby’s for 17 times that, realizing $558,000. The auction’s record-breaking price was so influential that many believe it impacted what a bottle of the same vintage, same wine, sold for shortly thereafter ($496,000).

2. 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon

Price Realized: $500,000

Year Sold: 2000

What Drove the Price: The Napa winery’s inaugural vintage was in 1992.

Sold for $500,000 at the 2000 Auction Napa Valley, this record-breaking Screaming Eagle Winery sale happened in the winery’s backyard rather than at a European or New York-based auction house. Also, the wine was only eight years old, rather than dating back to the middle of last century like many wines sold at auction. The long wait list to become a club member and the limited production size (around 500 cases annually) makes Screaming Eagle Winery a cult favorite even with its relatively new vintages.

3. 1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild

Price Realized: $310,000

Year Sold: 2006

What Drove the Price: Bordeaux’s later-than-normal frost in early May of 1945 reduced the vintage to its smallest since 1915; grapes were very ripe, too, with alcohol content as high as 15 percent. 

Each bottle of Château Moulton Rothschild’s 1945 vintage features an illustrated “V” for victory, signifying the end of World War II. Before the 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sale in 2018 (listed above), this wine—crafted from grapes harvested in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France and also sold through Sotheby’s—held the record for the most expensive wine ever sold. As a jeroboam (the equivalent of six wine bottles), the winning wine was much larger than a 750mL bottle, but auctioneers estimated a 750mL value at approximately $60,000.

4. 1947 Château Cheval Blanc

Price Realized: $304,375

Year Sold: 2010

What Drove the Price: The 1947 is believed to be one of the winery’s two greatest vintages (the other is 1921).

Snug in Bordeaux’s Saint-Émilion appellation, Château Cheval Blanc has been making wines since 1832. At a Christie’s auction in 2010, the winning bid for this imperial-size bottle (equivalent to eight 750mL bottles) was, at the time, a world record for a single bottle at auction.

5. 1907 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne

Price Realized: $275,000

Year Sold: uncertain

What Drove the Price: Virtually untouched after a 1916 shipwreck off the coast of Finland, en route to the Imperial Court of Czar Nicholas II of Russia, 200 bottles of this wine were discovered by divers during the late 1990s (the 2,000-bottle lot also included other wines).

Now dubbed “Shipwreck Champagne” in wine circles, you can only buy the 1907 Piper-Heidsieck at The Ritz-Carlton in Moscow, which scooped up a dozen of these bottles. At $275,000—the highest price a bottle of it has sold at auction—the 1907 Piper-Heidsieck is also the world’s priciest bottle of Champagne. Learn more about the different types of Champagne and sparkling wine.

6. 1869 Château Lafite-Rothschild

Price Realized: $230,000

Year Sold: 2010

What Drove the Price: Two firsts: the first vintage bottled at Lafite and the first vintage under Baron James de Rothschild’s ownership.

At a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in 2010, three bottles of this wine from Château Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux, France, were sold for $230,000 a piece, marking the world’s most expensive bottle of 750mL wine ever sold at the time. It’s even more special because the wine dates back to a pre-phylloxera vintage (in the late 1800s, many of the region’s wines were ripped out of the ground due to this devastating disease).

7. 1787 Château Margaux

Price Realized: $225,000

Year Sold: 1980s

What Drove the Price: Believed to have been owned by Thomas Jefferson due to his etched initials on the bottle’s glass. Chateau Margaux is also one of only four wineries in Bordeaux that was granted first-growth status in the 1855 Classification. Even newer vintages command high prices at auction, although certainly not this high.

Thomas Jefferson, thought America’s most wine-loving president to date, adored French wines. Despite Jefferson owning this actual bottle from Chateau Margaux, the 1787 vintage is what made it so coveted when wine merchant William Sokolin discovered it in 1985. He had it insured for $225,000 four years later. Unfortunately, it was broken in error when it opened at the Four Seasons in New York City in 1989. Oops! 1787 Château Margaux is also the most expensive bottle of wine ever broken—and technically never sold.

8. 2004 Penfolds Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon

Price Realized: $168,000

Year Sold: 2012

What Drove the Price: It’s packaged in a hand-blown glass ampoule inside a wooden cabinet, and there are only a dozen bottles.

Although not sold at auction, the $168,000 retail price of the 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon is memorable. Penfolds, a winery in Australia’s Barossa Valley, commissioned 12 special bottles of the 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon, which normally sold for $661 without the high-end packaging. Cabinet maker Andrew Bartlett fashioned the wood cabinet that was folded into the retail price, while glass sculptor Nick Mount worked on the ampoule, Hendrik Forster on the metalsmithing, and Ray Leake on the glassblowing. All work was done in South Australia.

9. 1787 Château Lafite

Price Realized: $156,450

Year Sold: 1985

What Drove the Price: Like the 1787 Château Margaux, this wine was thought to have been owned by Thomas Jefferson, as indicated by his initials etched on the bottle’s glass.

Château Lafite in Bordeaux—owned by the Rothschild family since the 19th Century—was reportedly one of Jefferson’s favorite wines. He owned this particular bottle, which The Forbes Group (Malcolm Forbes) bought from Christie’s London office in 1985 for $156,450. Jefferson reportedly even visited the estate in Bordeaux. During the wine’s production, its main clientele were wealthy patrons throughout Europe.

10. 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

Price Realized: $123,900

Year Sold: 2007

What Drove the Price:  This is the same bottle as the number one spot on our list, sold initially at a lower price in 2007. As before, this wine has always been highly valued, as only 600 bottles were produced. 

Our list starts and ends with the same bottle of wine! In 2007, the 1945 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti sold for $123,900. Just 11 years later, in 2018, it would resell at a $435,000 higher price tag and take the most expensive wine bottle sold in the world spot. This example truly illustrates how quickly wine investments can grow.

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What Makes Certain Wines So Expensive? 

Many factors distinguish a bottle of wine that costs a few dollars and one that fetches a price that ranges from the hundreds to thousands. Some of the reasons certain wines are so expensive include:

• The quality of grapes
• The soil
• The climate’s influence on the final product of wine
• Cost of labor (using machines for mass-production vs. handmade)
• Materials (stainless steel barrels vs. wooden barrels)
• Age
• Vineyard yield

Sometimes, the cost of wine is simply due to perception. For example, a wine that was previously owned by a historical figure will fetch more in an auction because of its history. 

Is the Most Expensive Wine the Best Tasting Wine?

You can find great-tasting wine at many affordable price points. But, there is a reason some wineries charge more for specific bottles. Expensive wines often have more invested into them to produce a better tasting product. 

Can You Drink 100-Year-Old Wine?

If a wine is stored correctly, you can drink it after 100 years. Many of the best bottles produced worldwide can be stored for over 100 years. But, often, wines will reach their peak before they turn 50 years old. 

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Your Wine Collection Awaits

You may not be purchasing a wine off this list, but you can treat yourself to luxurious wine that will impress your palette. If you want to expand your collection, explore wine and spirits on Invaluable now.