It isn’t just an aspiration to a connoisseur’s taste that drives one to buy a bottle of expensive wine. With prices that can pay the mortgage for months, if not the entire loan, these vintage wines are a good investment, really.
CNBC reported that fine wines are, in fact, one of the best-performing luxury assets with values reaching up to 25 percent last year, according to The Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index. It topped art , jewelry, coins and other luxury assets by a mile in this graph.
A couple of years ago, we came up with the most expensive red wines list consisting mainly of collector’s items. Fine wines do age better in time and their prices can only go north. Expectedly, these rare editions are still the most expensive red wines in the world today.
However, for the average wine investor, the chances of getting hold of one of these wines are as high as snow in the Sahara. Either these wines are not for sale, one of a kind (one was knocked over and lost) or are hoarded by a super billionaire somewhere.
So, we thought to update the list and help those on the market for the most expensive red wines. Their best bet? Vintage reds that are exclusive but available in the market for 2025. So, we divided the list between the low five of most expensive but available vintage wines and the high five of truly the rarest and priciest ones.
Most Expensive Vintage Red Wines in the World
These vintage reds are expensive but available in the market. With enough sleuthing you can get a hold of one since their estates produced a limited number of bottles on the marked year.
10. Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru 1949
(Cote de Nuits, France) $5,921
The estate produces excellent Pinot Noir using the biodynamic production method spearheaded by its owner, Madame Leroy. Production is exclusive to the wealthy enough to afford the limited wines: only 700 bottles per year, tops, are made.
Richebourg is regarded for its full-bodied, muscular Pinot Noir and can be cellared for years. They make excellent collection, while, at its low-end price on our list, the wine can be consumed to impress even on casual days.
The year was the driest since 1893 in the region and harvest was influenced by erratic weather patterns. Flowering was under cold, wet conditions, greatly reducing yields. Adding to the allure to this vintage is its post-world war appeal, lending to it a historical essence and more perceived value.
9. Domaine Leroy Chambertin Grand Cru 1990
(Cote de Nuits, France) $7,447
The estate is a solid brand in the most expensive wine space. A little pricier than its 1949, the the 1990 is harvested from the exclusive Pinot Noir vineyards of Chambertin Grand Cru.
Domaine Leroy’s reds are regarded for its deep scent of red cherries, plums, earth and sweet spice. Adding more vintage air to this wine, Napoleon is known to drink Chambertin wine, favoring its rich ruby hue not unlike what you get from the 1990 vintage.
The estate also produces regular vintage for $4,288 with production around 900 bottles per year.
8. Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Musigny Grand Cru 1990
(Cote de Nuits, France) $11,720
A Pinot Noir from Le Musigny vineyard at the heart of Burgundy, the vintage traces its roots to a young lad who married a local Musigny girl in 1924. The man received as dowry sections of the Chambolle Musigny vineyards and from there, Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier was born.
The story has nothing to do with the vintage’s flavor for sure, but it adds a nice romantic ring to this nectar of love, however you put it. What you’ll be interested more is the fact that only 380 bottles at most are produced yearly.
The year was very hot although flowering was less compared to 1989. The minimal yield, experts said, gave the grapes more concentration, flavor, thicker skins and plenty of tannin.
So when you see one of these bottles in a friend’s cellar, go for it and ask for goose, duck or game bird for dinner, which the wine goes well with.
7. Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru 2012
(Cote de Nuits, France) $14,436
The Musigny vintage is described as magical with layered minerality. Some describe it as a sumptuous cornucopia of flowers, gentle and delicate with silky tannins.
Although 2012 wasn’t the perfect harvest season in Burgundy with a few spring frosts, irregular flowering and late-spring hailstorms, the dry, hot summer tail-end provided created a robust flavor for this vintage. Going by the estate’s reputation, this wine is no doubt worth its every drop. Not the least it carries the Domaine aura of our next wine producer; the owner parting ways with DLC years ago when they became direct rivals.
6. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1990
(Burgundy, France) $21,216
Widely regarded as one of the world’s best wine producers, the estate, referred to in the circle as DRC, earns the best spot on our list for expensive but available vintage reds. The year 1990 was a well-balanced year, dry but cool spring followed by hot summer and rains in September. It’s a condition that lent to harvest rich healthy grapes with good yields.
Moreover, the last fifteen years had been excellent for DRC, owning the best-performing wine from the region. The estate soared by 298 percent on the Burgundy 150 Index over the same period, cementing its claim to fame.
DRC reds are considered by the Clive Coates as the “purest, most aristocratic and most intense example of Pinot noir.” We can only assume the 1990 variety tops that.
Most Expensive Collector’s Red Wines
These wines are priced uniquely per bottle, meaning, the wines are one of a kind; hence, they are a collector’s dream.
5. Cheval Blanc 1947 St-Emilion
(Bordeaux,France) $135,125
This vintage is one of the only two wines granted Class A status in the Classification of Saint-Emilion wine. The three-liter bottle was bought in 2006 at Vinfolio in San Francisco for the record-worthy price.
Only 110,000 bottles were produced and a few have survived to this day. The blend is 50:50 Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It is considered by sommeliers as the finest Cheval Blanc in the twentieth century, exuding rich, volatile acidity with lush texture and a sensual flavor.
The harvest year was marked by hot weather with temperatures soaring to 35 degrees Celsius, yielding generous crops with high natural sugar levels.
4. Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951
$38,420
The most expensive Australian wine, Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1951 set the record when a wine collector in May 2004 bought it in an auction at MW Wines in Adelaide, South Australia. Only twenty bottles are known in existence.
The wine is predominantly Shiraz with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and regarded as one of Australia’s finest wines.
3. Chateau Lafite 1787
$156,450
The most expensive standard bottle of wine, this vintage is believed to be from Thomas Jefferson’s cellar. A ThJ initials are etched in the glass. The third president and one of the founding fathers was an ambassador to France and he’s said to spend much time visiting the Bordeaux and Burgundy vineyards for his wine collection.
Some experts are skeptical of the 1787 story though, but that didn’t bother the publisher tycoon Malcom Forbes, who bought it in 1985. The wine’s age is enough to land it in any most expensives wine list.
Jefferson is such a collector that he’s associated with other expensive vintages: a 1775 Sherry for $43,500; a 1787 Chateau d’Yquem for $56,588; and our next on this list.
2. Chateau Margaux 1787
$225,000
Said to be the most expensive wine unsold, it’s another collection from Jefferson. No money can buy this now; a waiter knocked it over during a Margaux dinner at the Four Season Hotel. Talk about spoiling centuries of waiting and speculating. The owner, New York wine merchant, William Sokolin valued it at $500,000, a price that had since been devalued to “just” $225,000, the amount paid by insurers for the spilled wine.
1. Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992
$500,000
The most expensive red wine still belongs to this vintage, a surprisingly young wine, a six-liter bottle of Cabernet from Napa Valley. The wine arguably won by technicality when it fetched for charity the record-smashing price at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2000.
Still, this bottle is for keeps and now worth its price for topping many most expensive wine lists over the years and gaining the world’s attention in the process. The region, the most prestigious in the New World, is famous for “Napa Cab,” a rich, oak-aged aroma range laced with blackcurrant, liquorice, vanilla, boysenberry and smoky dark chocolate.
Key Insights
- Investment Value of Fine Wines: Fine wines are considered one of the best-performing luxury assets, with values increasing up to 25% according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index. They outperform other luxury items such as art, jewelry, and coins.
- Historical and Vintage Appeal: Vintage wines often hold significant historical value, which contributes to their high prices. For instance, the Domaine Leroy Richebourg Grand Cru 1949 has a post-World War II appeal.
- Limited Production: Many of the most expensive wines are produced in limited quantities, making them exclusive and highly sought after. Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Musigny Grand Cru 1990, for example, produces only about 380 bottles annually.
- Iconic Estates and Renowned Producers: Brands like Domaine Leroy, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, and Chateau Lafite are iconic in the wine industry, known for their exceptional quality and heritage.
- Unique Market Availability: The list is divided into available vintage wines and rare collector’s items, with some wines being one-of-a-kind or nearly impossible to obtain, like the Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992.
- Notable Auction Sales: Some wines achieve record prices at auctions, which can significantly enhance their market value and status. For instance, a three-liter bottle of Cheval Blanc 1947 St-Emilion was bought for $135,125.
- Cultural and Historical Significance: Wines like Chateau Margaux 1787, associated with historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, add a layer of cultural significance that elevates their value.
- Regional Specialties: Different regions produce distinctive wine styles, such as the rich, oak-aged Napa Cab from Napa Valley, known for its complex flavor profile.
FAQ
- Why are vintage wines considered a good investment?Vintage wines are considered a good investment because their values tend to appreciate over time. They often outperform other luxury assets in terms of value increase, making them a lucrative option for collectors and investors.
- What factors contribute to the high prices of these wines?Several factors contribute to the high prices of these wines, including limited production, historical significance, exceptional quality, iconic brands, and notable auction sales. The exclusivity and unique stories behind each vintage also add to their value.
- How does the production method impact the value of these wines?The production method can significantly impact the value of these wines. For example, biodynamic production methods used by Domaine Leroy ensure the highest quality and purity, which enhances the wine’s market value.
- What makes Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (DRC) wines so special?Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (DRC) wines are regarded as some of the best in the world due to their exceptional quality, meticulous production methods, and the estate’s long-standing reputation. The wines are known for their purity, intensity, and aristocratic nature.
- Why are some wines not available for purchase?Some wines are not available for purchase because they are either one-of-a-kind, have been lost or destroyed, or are hoarded by collectors. For example, the Chateau Margaux 1787 was knocked over and destroyed, making it impossible to purchase.
- What regions are known for producing the most expensive wines?Regions known for producing the most expensive wines include Burgundy in France, Bordeaux in France, and Napa Valley in the United States. These regions have a long history of winemaking and are renowned for their high-quality vineyards and exceptional wines.
- How do auction sales influence the value of wines?Auction sales can significantly influence the value of wines by setting record prices that enhance their status and market value. Wines that achieve high prices at auctions are often viewed as more prestigious and desirable.
- Are there any modern wines that have achieved high prices?Yes, modern wines like the Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992 have achieved high prices. Despite being relatively young, this wine fetched a record-smashing price at a charity auction, making it one of the most expensive wines in the world.
- What is the significance of wines associated with historical figures?Wines associated with historical figures, such as the Chateau Lafite 1787 linked to Thomas Jefferson, hold cultural and historical significance that adds to their value. These connections often make the wines more desirable to collectors.
- How can one start investing in fine wines?To start investing in fine wines, one should research and understand the market, identify reputable wine estates and vintages, consider storage and insurance, and possibly seek advice from wine investment experts or join wine investment groups.
There you go, our 2025 list of the world’s most expensive red wines. Would you buy any of these wines? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Vintage is purely for bragging rights. Anything over 60 years old will never taste as it should so dont believe the hype. Best left in the collection, that way all the admirers saying "only if i could" will be far more satifying than an empty bottle of vinegar.. If you ever do get to indulge make sure its at someone elses expense that way you dont need to worry about guilt of purchase!
I agree with the earlier comments. Some of the best wine i had ever consumed cost no more than 500 dollars! Wine taste is totally subjective. Never buy into the tasters folly just drink what tastes good to you! And remember its the company your keep while enjoying it that makes the experience...the wine will go...the experience wont!
Currently enjoying a phase of indulging in Chilean wines . Theyre fantastic!
personally, I don't think there is a wine on the face of the earth that is worth $1000, let alone these prices. I have a lot of wine parties with a lot of knowledgeable wine people where all wines are bagged, so totally blind. There is never an event where the most expensive wine is everyone's favorite, and the prices usually range from 50 to 500 a bottle. These "collectors " are paying for a name, not a great wine, but it's their money so their choice.
perceived scarcity and actual scarcity, name, repute and hype, whims, trends, hype and collect ability align to make it so.
The Jefferson bottles and the Margaux are/were likely fakes. All Jefferson bottles were sourced from Hardy Rodenstock, who is allegedly one of most high profile wine forgers of old Bordeaux in recent memory.
The label and history does not make the wine.
Ultimately it is the accompanying food, the locale, and most of all the company.
I have at times, partaken of supremely awful, but most enjoyable plonk.
Salut!
The only wines I would consider drinking are 6-10. Screaming Eagle is considered high end California, on par with Harlan. I could not even drink it without saying to myself ‘huh, that’s quite mediocre’. The Cheval Blanc? Nah. Would be wasted on me. The 1700’s wine are basically junk by now.
Would i buy any of these if i had the money? Oh goodness no. No drink is worth more than a house - no matter how old or unique it is. My recent dabbling in wine has taught me that wine is terrible as an investment, taste is dependent on so many variables including the life the grapes have lived as opposed to ageing alone, & there's no point buying a wine if you're not going to drink it! Now, the fact that some younger wines are more expensive than their older counterparts doesn't surprise me - a 1964 cotes du rhones, for example, costs about the same as a 2007 & a 2017. Of course, i'll choose the 2010 any day, but either way it'll cost me $15. Heck, why spend more than $50 if there's these & great Spanish, Italian, Greek & Eastern European reds - all designated region of origin certified - for less than that? Money better spent travelling, i say
I make homemade wine and its taste would exceed a $500,000 bottle of wine anyday. It's all about the money, that million dollar wine is junk. It's all about the money, NOT THE TASTE.
Wine is very much like fine art in how the collectors manipulate the value through resale. Some transactions are more transparent than others. The obvious one jumping off this list is Screaming Eagle. I haven't had the pleasure, but by all accounts it is an outstanding world-class wine, however it is not considered by any connoisseurs I have spoken to or read to be in a class with the others on this list. The exorbitant price was paid to buy credibility for Cali wines and put it in this group - which it did. It was one of the most effective $500k ad campaigns in modern history. Besides writing off the campaign as a charitable expense, the ROI was through the roof for the entire Napa region. Win, win, win.
For the aficionados:
I only want to put my two cents in here because I had the opportunity to drink all these great French wines when I first arrived in California in 1964, while I worked for a French restaurant in Sausalito, and this is a true story. Chateau Margaux 1959 $22.00, Chateau Lafite Rothschild $65.00, Richebourg $45.00, Romanee-Conti $60.00, La Tache, Chambertin, Cheval Blanc, Chateau D'Yquem,etc, etc...
And these were the most expensive on the wine list.
Now here are my comments :
Like everything else in the USA, it's to sell magazines like the " wine spectator ", news papers, advertisement, to sensationalize through the media and create public excitement, at the expense of accuracy.
Great strategy, but total non sense, and I am a wine lover; there are plenty of excellent wines for less than 100 dollars today.
A bon entendeur salut.
A.L.
I am investing in current 2012 - 2016 wines banking on the value increasing ahead of other available investments. Not to mention I deeply enjoy the CA vineyards and touring the Sonoma & Napa regions. I recently purchased 6 bottles of Robert Mondavi 2014 Cab The Reserve in Oakville. I attempt to buy an investment bottle for my 2 kids and 2 grandkids. I am sure the two little grandkids will enjoy drinking a 30 or 40 year old wine from there papas collection. There is a lot to learn about wine.
Its not going to be much of an investment return if you or the grandkids drink it. One reason why i dont invest in it!
I had the opportunity to try the Screaming Eagle 1994 and it was corked.
If you ever think you're having a bad day, just be glad you're not the unfortunate person that spent $500,000 on a single bottle of Thomas Jefferson's wine, only to have it broken by a member of the waitstaff. Also, be grateful you're not the person that broke a half-million dollar wine authenticated as being owned by the third President of the USA. That was not a wine for drinking, that was a wine for displaying as a part of history (sort of). Buying a 1992 SE for $500k is one thing, but the 1787 Margaux was owned by Thomas Jefferson and was 330 years old! At that point, it's a collector's item, not a drinking wine... in my opinion, anyway, obviously, at least one very rich person disagrees with me.
The 1787 Lafite (I think that’s what it was) was purchased by a member of the Forbes family & places in a well lit display. The cork dried up & fell into the bottle. There’s a book about it called Billionaires Vinegar. It’s a quick entertaining read. There’s a lot of skepticism surrounding it considering the guy who found the bottle was a notorious forger & foiled some of the biggest names in the wine world.
"just be glad you’re not the unfortunate person that spent $500,000 on a single bottle of Thomas Jefferson’s wine, only to have it broken by a member of the waitstaff."
Yeah. I'd really hate to be the person that has the capacity to spend half million bucks on booze.
The Screaming Eagle purchase should not be on this list as the auction itself was for charitable purposes. While not inexpensive in its own right this exact year can be had for a fraction of the auction price.
Terribly confused, agitated and a bit sick to my stomach. One has to be completely irrational, greedy, and selfish bugger too, to purchase a bottle of wine for $500,000 when so many children die each day from malnutrition. PS, If I was the waiter (or importer or whoever broke the dam expensive bottle) I would be on all fours licking the floor dry
If you have billions of dollars... $500,000 wouldn't be any money to you... This world is about who has it not who needs it. So work hard creating wealth and use it the way you want it and stop wasting your breath on how you want others to use their wealth
Jody, you probably don't realize that most, if not all, of the wine auctions in Napa and the surrounding area involve significant charitable contributions and causes which benefit a number of worthy causes. While you castigate one who would pay $500,000 for the '92 SE, it is more likely that the winner is a very generous soul.
Tony, please don't break my heart. I already burst into tears upon the realization of the noble cause of buying a 500,000 dollar bottle of wine. If the winner's intention was to enjoy the bottle of wine I can understand that. The guy had the money, and just wanted to enjoy himself. However, the case tends to be as always to hide the bottle in a damp, and dark cellar away from the world like a dragon hiding his treasure in a cave lying on top of it and making sure that no one will ever find it. What a waste of great wine. And Jody, no wine is worth the indignity of licking it from the floor. Just say damn it and look ahead. Cheers.
The bottle was broken by the importer, William Sokolin, not a waiter.
I have a feeling that waiter who broke the Chateau Margaux 1787 bottle was fired and later applied in India as valet attendant, who, in fact, crashed a Lamborghini that made it to the news recently. Seriously, that must be a nightmare to spill away $$$ when you're just earning cents.
Fired? He went missing.
LOL! I agree that something a little more drastic than just being fired probably happened. But what exactly.... Or maybe the guilt killed them!
Yes the poor fellow must have felt like
Jumping off a building.
But, what a story to tell the grandkids
I sure would love to sip a glass of any of these collections. Just an offshoot of this topic, many don't realize that Australian wines are remarkably clean and crisp, especially the Merlots and Cabernets. They're better than CA wine and maybe so versus French and Italian if you're not particular about labels.
Old vine wines come with time and experience. Depth of taste is like ones character..
"They’re better than CA wine..."
No, actually, they're not. There are many good Aus wines and a few excellent ones (I don't happen to care for Penfolds...not sure what the fuss is there). I would argue, and I bet I'm right, that there are more 95+ point California wines than Aus ones, but the fact of the matter is that each of Aus, California and France produce some of the world's finest wines.
A quick comment on the list: $20k for a bottle of DRC is by no means a record. That's actually a pretty good price.
"if you're not particular about labels" - Dear Sir - please refer above to the Australian wine at #4 Valued at $38k - geez how fussy do you want to be :-O
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