Top 15 Most Expensive Wines In the World

Kris [email protected] May 07, 2021 | 14:29

Want to know the 15 most expensive wines of all time? However, a word of warning,… you’re going to need at least $15,000 to even consider purchasing one!

Top 15 Most Expensive Wines In the World (2021)

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The most expensive wines in the world, the cost of which continues to grow in price over time. What is it? A unique product that can surprise sophisticated guests or a good opportunity for long-term investment? For each buyer of such wine, there may be his own reason for the purchase. Two things remain unchanged – bottles of incredibly expensive wine and people who are ready to buy it, even though the price of some exceeds $200,000 per bottle.

List of the 15 most expensive wines in the world 2021

1. Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992 – $500,000

2. Jeroboam of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945 – $310,000

3. Cheval Blanc 1947 – $305,000

4. Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck – $275,000

5. Chateau Lafite 1869 – $230,000

6. Chateau Margaux 1787 – $225,000

7. Ampoule from Penfolds – $168,000

8. Chateau Lafite 1787 – $156,450

9. Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1999 — $136,955

10. Cheval Blanc St-Emilion 1947 – $135,125

11. Romanee Conti 1945 – $123,900

12. Chateau D’YQUEM – $117,000

13. Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951 – $38,000

14. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1990 – $21,200

15. Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 2012 – $14,450

15. Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 2012 – $14,450

Top 15 Most Expensive Wines In the World

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Described as a magical and sumptuous wine, the Grand Cru has a flowery taste and a gentle, silky texture.

If we were to sell the wine based on the state’s reputation alone, then it’s without a doubt worth every drop. However, the hot tail-end of the summer in 2012 provided this wine with robustness like no other, so it can demand such a high price.

14. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1990 – $21,200

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Next on the list of the most expensive wines in the world is the Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1990.

A bottle of this vintage red will cost you $21,200, but according to experts, it’s well worth the investment. 1990 produced a fantastic wine, due to a well-balanced harvest, rich in plentiful healthy grapes.

13. Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951 – $38,000

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The first Australian wine on the list is the Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951. With only 20 bottles in known existence, this is also one of the rarest wines on the planet, therefore it’s price reflects it’s limited status.

The Hermitage is regarded by many as one of Australias finest wines and is best described as predominantly Shiraz with a hint of Cabernet Sauvignon.

12. Chateau D’YQUEM – $117,000

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Holding the Guinness World Record for being the most expensive bottle of white wine ever sold, the bottle was sold by the Antique Wine Company for $117,000 to Christian Vanneque, who happens to be a renowned wine connoisseur himself. To commemorate his 50 years as a wine-taster, he plans to put it on display at SIP Sunset Grill in Bali, Indonesia, his latest venture. The reason for this hefty price tag of this bottle is that the harvest of 1811 at the Chateau d’Yquem was so good that many opined it to be the best white wine ever made.

11. Romanee Conti 1945 – $123,900

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Next up we have the 1945 Romanee Conti, which is super expensive due to the legendary vines of the Romanee Conti being destroyed by Phylloxera in 1946.

Therefore, only 600 bottles could be manufactured before the vineyards could sell wine again in 1952. Normal bottles can be purchased for $7,500. However, the one true original, owned by Audebet de Villaine sold at auction in 2007 for $123,900!

10. Cheval Blanc St-Emilion 1947 – $135,125

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The Cheval Blanc St-Emilion 1947, with its half Cabernet Franc and half Merlot composition, is a wine legend. Why? Because it gloriously defies the laws of modern enology. It is rich and Porty with volatile acidity and high alcohol content.

Everything that the model of fine Bordeaux isn’t. But the texture and flavor of the Cheval Blanc St-Emilion 1947, defined as lush and voluptuous by those who have tasted it, is irresistible. And what makes it all the more special is that no other modern winemaker displays the guts to produce a wine of such style again.

9. Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1999 — $136,955

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Produced in the heart of France’s Burgundy wine region, the Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1999 can grace your cellar for $136,995. And with that, it sat at the top of Christie’s wine sale, Hong Kong, in the fall of 2018. It is hard to decide whether Henri Jayer’s worldwide popularity has elevated this Cros Parantoux to its current coveted status or the Vosne-Romanée’s flavor timeless charm that is behind Jayer’s stature in the wine world.

8. Chateau Lafite 1787 – $156,450

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Dubbed as the most expensive “standard” bottle of wine in the world, the vintage Chateau Lafite 1787 is thought to be from Thomas Jefferson’s cellar!

This theory comes from his initials (ThJ) being etched into the glass and his well-known love and passion for wine. The Chateau Lafite 1787 was purchased by publisher tycoon Malcolm Forbes in 1985, and is one of the most expensive wines in the world!

7. Ampoule from Penfolds – $168,000

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A new edition of Penfolds’ 2004 Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon, each bottle costs $168,000, while a glass comes for $850. Unlike most in the list with histories behind them, these ampoules, without any cork, screwcap or any other kind of seal, are solely commercial releases by South Australia’s most famous winery Penfolds.

The tasting of the wine is an experience in itself, as the ampoules, coming in a container of glass prism and in a wooden cabinet, can be opened only by breaking off the end. To help with this, a senior winemaking staff will accompany the buyer to their place. The Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon ampoules are the most expensive wines to be retailed directly from a winery.

6. Chateau Margaux 1787 – $225,000

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Having the initials of none other than Thomas Jefferson, this ancient wine had a very sad end actually. Jefferson was a famous oenophile, and when he was serving as an ambassador to France, he often bought bottles from Bordeaux and Burgundy.

This particular bottle was owned by William Solokin who priced it at $225,000, and took it to a Four Season Hotel for a dinner to celebrate it. And a waiter bumped against the table by accident, making the bottle shatter to bits. While the insurance company paid him out, Solokin will probably never be able to get over the loss of a wine like that which he was unable to taste even a bit.

5. Chateau Lafite 1869 – $230,000

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This bottle of wine caused quite a stir when it went up for auction in Hong Kong. Auctioneers only anticipated it to reach a respectful $8,000, however, to their surprise, an anonymous bidder from Asia claimed the highest bid – $230,000.

In Asia, the Chateau Lafite 1869 is considered by many to be extremely rare, so bidders were willing to pay big money to secure one of the worlds most expensive wines.

4. Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck – $275,000

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$275,000 for a bottle of wine would seem ridiculous to most, however, this wine has a very unique and exciting story which easily justifies the price. In 1916, a ship carrying the wine was torpedoed by a German submarine in the First World War, causing it to sink to the bottom of the ocean for over 80 years.

The wreckage was discovered in 1997 and 2,000 bottles were saved. So, even if you can’t drink it, $275,000 gets you an incredible piece of history and a fantastic story to tell at dinner parties.

3. Cheval Blanc 1947 – $305,000

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Coming in at number three on our list of most expensive wines is the 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc. Considered to be the “best Bordeaux ever made”, it was sold at auction to an anonymous buyer for $303,375.

Being the recipient of the exclusive Premier Grand Cru Classe (A) rank in the Classification of Saint-Emilion wine in 2012, Chateau Cheval Blanc is well regarded as one of the most prestigious winemakers in the world!

2. Jeroboam of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945 – $310,000

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Originating from the vineyards of the richest family on earth, it’s no surprise that this bottle of wine has such an outrageous price tag. With symbolism on the label indicating the victory of the Allied forces in the Second World War, the wine is said to be one of the best vintages of the last 100 years.

If you can’t quite afford to buy a bottle, then why not try a glass for $8,631! I’ll take two then!

1. Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992 – $500,000

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Trust the Americans to get the best of the deals. For the most expensive bottle of wine to have been sold till date was made not in Italy or France, but urm, in America – Oakville, California to be precise. Thanks to the rarity and the small quantities of wine produced from here, the wine has achieved cult status.

A bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992, described as ‘spectacular’, managed to fetch the unbelievable price of $500,000 for a charity auction in 2000. Unfiltered and unfined while bottling, this wine is aged in 60% new oak and is opaque purple in color. It has an aroma of jammy blackcurrants, and there are subtle traces of oak in it.