Collecting wines can be thrilling. Whether you enjoy collecting some of the rarest bottles to have on display or want to bring one of the most unique bottles to your next tasting, it’s a joy to get your hands on extraordinary finds. But what about the ones that want to enjoy some of the most expensive white wines?
From rare vintages that have been brought back from the bottom of the sea, to pristine creations from some of the leading names in the wine industry, these bottles have made a name for themselves.
12. Champagne Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 1995, $3,999
The first example of the most expensive white wines is the 1995 Krug champagne Clos d’Ambonnnay. Sitting at an average sale price of $3,000, this champagne is from the heart of Ambonnay and is one of the most distinguished villages of Pinot Noir in champagne.
Established in 1843 in Reims, Joseph Krug has made it his mission to create some of the most breathtaking products, and this is just one of the finest examples of his work.
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11. Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc, $4,600
Screaming Eagle is primarily known for its cult cabernet sauvignon, but its blanc production is even more limited and pricey. Screaming Eagle is responsible for making two of the most expensive wines, with the white being this sauvignon blanc for $4,600.
These prices are only for secondary markets. If you want to get on their mailing list to only pay three figures, you might have to wait around 12 years.
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10. Moet & Chandon Espirt du Siecle Brut, $15,611
Founded by Cloude Moët, Moet & Chandon became one of the many champagne houses to excel at the craft of champagne-making. Since they began in 1743, Moet & Chandon has produced some of the most sought-after and prestigious bottles of white wine, and this is just one of the many examples.
A bottle of their Esprit du Siecle Brut goes for an average price of $12,213, and a bottle sold at Christie’s auction in 2019 for $15,611.
9. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet, $8,500
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, or DRC, is a well-known Burgundy estate that has produced some of the finest wine in the world. The domain has a long history yet is relatively small, producing only 6,000-8,000 cases per year, but still brings out the most sought-after wine on the planet.
This DRC only produces about 250 cases per year, making it an expensive white wine, sitting at an average cost of $8,500.
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8. Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 1973, $11,325
Known as the Judgement of Paris, this California Chardonnay dethroned some of the most prestigious white Burgundies at a tasting organized by Steven Spurrier in 1967.
With such high reviews, the bottle ended up selling by Spectrum Wine Auctions for $11,325 and was one of the few remaining bottles out of the 26,000 produced. The buyer spent such a pretty penny to complete his collection of all 20 Judgement wines.
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7. Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, $13,670
One of the most expensive white wine bottles in the world is this Egon Muller Riesling from the Mosel region of Germany.
The Muller family has been producing wines in the steep, slate vineyards since 1797. The average amount spent on a bottle is $13,600, but some buyers reach as high as $32,000 to get a taste of this exceptional wine.
6. 1997 Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru, $19,700
Chevalier Montrachet is a wonderful Grand Cru vineyard on the Montrachet hill in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune region. The vineyard is known for being full-bodied and is a crowd-pleaser, so it only makes sense that this 1997 bottle is one of the most expensive white wines in the world.
With notes of oak, blanched almonds, and white fruits, this bottle is worth an average of $19,000 according to wine databases. In a Sotheby’s auction, 12 bottles of this year and vintage were sold for a staggering $207,600, making each bottle worth around $17,000.
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5. 1820 Juglar Cuvée, $43,500
While it might seem strange that bottles of wine found from shipwrecks could be worth anything, let alone taste perfect and are intact. But this 1820 Juglar Cuvée is just one example of wine connoisseurs spending the most for bottles that have settled in the sea.
The mystery surrounding the shipwreck actually helped increase the price as well, creating an expensive white wine sitting at $43,000. These bottles were salvaged in 2010 by divers, bringing up a cache of 168 bottles.
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4. 1874 Perrier-Jouët Champagne, $54,622
Christie’s is a great place to go to for the most unique finds, and here is another example. This 1874 Perrier-Jouët Champagne sold for over $50,000 at Chrsitie’s in 2021, and it’s stunning.
The bottle is dusty and unlabelled but holds wine that has spent 150 years in “ideal conditions”, according to Tim Triptree MW, director of Christie’s wine and spirits. This champagne was previously sold in 1888 at Christie’s in London, and was up for auction again for an outstanding amount, exceeding expectant prices by $30,000.
3. Chateau dYquem 1811, $117,416
Chateau d’Yquem was one of the only Saunternes that was given the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, which indicated its superiority, and also raised the price tag.
This bottle in particular exceeded expectations at Christie’s auction in 2014. While the picture above doesn’t showcase the 1811 bottle, this 1896 edition still reaches high prices at a staggering $26,000.
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2. 1907 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, $275,000
Some of the most expensive white wines come from auction sales, like this 1907 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne. This is just one out of the large collection from the Heidsieck vineyard. The collection is over a hundred years old and was planned to be shipped to the Russian Imperial family in 1916, but a shipwreck off the coast of Finland resulted in these bottles being lost at sea.
Divers found over 200 bottles in 1997, and upon auctioning, buyers went as high as $275,000 to get their hands on these unique and luxurious bottles.
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1. 1947 Cheval Blanc, $304,375
Our number one spot for the most expensive white wines ever goes to this 1947 French Cheval Blanc. The bottle was so remarkable that it even made a spot in the Guinness World Record for the most expensive wine sold at an auction.
Sitting at a staggering $304,375, the French wine sold at Christie’s in November 2010 to a private collector exceeding expectations. The six-liter bottle is said to be the only known bottle in the imperial format, according to Christie’s wine expert, Michael Ganne, which explains the price.
While we don’t have the original image of the actual bottle, this photo from a recent 2023 auction at Christie’s, making a sale of $15,132, is proof that these vintage wines go for staggering amounts.
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