A single bottle of wine has sold for more than a luxury yacht. Most expensive wine is older than the United States.
How to Play: Guess if the wine on the right sold for MORE or LESS at auction than the one on the left.
Name A
Name B
Top 10 Most Expensive Wines Ever Sold
Auction prices reflect the value of rare/aged bottles. Burgundy (DRC) and Bordeaux dominate. Some prices are private sales, harder to verify.
| # | Name | Auction Price (USD) | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1945 (Sotheby's 2018) | 558,000 | USD |
| 2 | Screaming Eagle 1992 6L | 500,000 | USD |
| 3 | Heidsieck Champagne 1907 (shipwreck) | 275,000 | USD |
| 4 | Château Lafite Rothschild 1869 | 232,000 | USD |
| 5 | Château Margaux 1787 (Jefferson) | 225,000 | USD |
| 6 | Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna 2004 | 168,000 | USD |
| 7 | Château Cheval Blanc 1947 | 135,000 | USD |
| 8 | Château d'Yquem 1811 | 117,000 | USD |
| 9 | Ampoule Chartreuse VIEP 1840 | 55,000 | USD |
| 10 | Penfolds Grange 1951 | 52,000 | USD |
Why Wine Prices Vary So Much
Top wines combine three rarities: famous estate (DRC, Pétrus), great vintage year (1945, 1947), and limited bottles. DRC produces only 6,000 bottles per year — extreme scarcity drives prices.
Shipwreck wines (Heidsieck 1907) are recovered from cargo lost at sea. Cold/dark seabed conditions actually preserve them well. Provenance is part of the price.
The Jefferson bottles (allegedly owned by Thomas Jefferson) are controversial — many were forgeries by Hardy Rodenstock. Prices included for historical interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most expensive wine ever?
DRC 1945 sold at Sotheby’s 2018 for $558K — a single bottle.
Why is Romanée-Conti so expensive?
Burgundy’s most prestigious estate (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti). Vineyards date to 13th century. Production extremely limited.
Can old wine be drinkable?
Often yes if stored properly. Pre-1900 wines sometimes still develop interesting flavors. Most bottles in this list have been opened and tasted.
What's the cheapest 'fine wine' on this list?
Two Buck Chuck (Charles Shaw) at $2 — included for context.
Note: Auction prices in USD per major wine auction houses (Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Acker).
More Wise Games to Try