10 Most Expensive Wine Bottles Ever Sold

You probably know wine can fetch big money, but have you seen what the rarest bottles sell for when collectors compete? Price doesn’t just come from vintage or grape; it comes from story, scarcity, and preservation. When a bottle crosses half a million, even a million, it becomes more than wine; it becomes legend. Here’s a look at ten of the most expensive bottles ever sold, what made them so extraordinary, and what their stories reveal about how value and obsession shape the high-end wine world.

1. Champagne Avenue Foch 2017 (Magnum + NFT) – $2.5 Million

A magnum of Champagne Avenue Foch 2017 sold in 2022 for an unbelievable $2.5 million, making it the most expensive bottle ever recorded. The wine itself comes from Premier Cru vineyards in Champagne, but what really sent its price soaring was that it came paired with an NFT artwork from the Bored Ape Yacht Club. In truth, the sale was as much about digital culture and luxury collecting as it was about wine. It marked a turning point where fine wine collided with cryptocurrency, art, and exclusivity.

2. The Setting Wines 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (6L) – $1,000,000

A six-liter bottle of The Setting Wines 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s Glass Slipper Vineyard fetched a full million dollars at a charity auction in New Orleans. Only one of these bottles was ever made, and it was crafted by winemaker Jesse Katz, known for precision and small-batch mastery. The sale wasn’t just about flavor or pedigree; it was about rarity, reputation, and philanthropy. The fact that the proceeds supported charity made the bottle even more meaningful to collectors who value both wine and purpose.

3. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1945 – $558,000

This 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is often described as the ultimate collectible, selling at Sotheby’s for $558,000. Only around 600 bottles were produced before the original vines were uprooted and replanted, meaning no identical vintage exists. Collectors pay for more than the liquid inside; they pay for a story of war, resilience, and craftsmanship frozen in time. Stored under ideal conditions, each remaining bottle represents one of the purest links to Burgundy’s historic pre-modern era of winemaking.

4. Screaming Eagle 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon (6L Magnum) – $500,000

In 2000, a six-liter magnum of Screaming Eagle 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon sold for half a million dollars at a Napa Valley charity auction. The cult status of Screaming Eagle plays a big role here; its wines are notoriously limited, and getting on the mailing list is nearly impossible. This particular bottle embodied the height of California Cabernet’s prestige. For collectors, owning it wasn’t about tasting notes or oak balance; it was about possessing a symbol of modern American winemaking success.

5. Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 (Jeroboam 4.5L) -$310,700

A Jeroboam of Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 sold for $310,700 at Sotheby’s in 2007, cementing its reputation as one of Bordeaux’s most collectible wines. The year 1945 is iconic in French wine history, both because of exceptional weather and its symbolic post-war optimism. Mouton-Rothschild’s label that year featured a V for victory, adding historical resonance. Between the large bottle size, impeccable storage, and perfect provenance, this sale demonstrated how vintage and symbolism intertwine to create enduring value.

6. Château Cheval Blanc 1947 (Imperial 6L) – $304,375

An Imperial of Château Cheval Blanc 1947 sold for just over $304,000 in 2010, a price that reflects both the rarity of the format and the mythical reputation of that vintage. The 1947 harvest was unusually hot, producing rich, opulent wines unlike anything Bordeaux had seen before. Cheval Blanc, known for balance and finesse, created a lush, almost exotic wine that collectors still talk about. With only a handful of large formats surviving in pristine condition, this sale felt like a tribute to winemaking perfection preserved through time.

7. Château Petrus 2000 “Space-Aged” Experiment – $1,000,000

When a bottle of Château Petrus 2000 returned from the International Space Station and was later sold for around a million dollars, it redefined the concept of rarity. The bottle had spent more than a year in orbit as part of an aging experiment, and the set included a second bottle that stayed on Earth for comparison. Petrus is already one of the most exclusive wines in the world, but the added twist of space travel made this sale a perfect example of how novelty, science, and luxury can merge in today’s collector market.

8. Château d’Yquem 1811 – $120,000

The 1811 Château d’Yquem, a sweet white wine from Sauternes, holds a near-mythical status for its longevity and balance. One bottle sold for about $120,000, a staggering sum for a wine more than two centuries old. Yquem’s wines are known for their incredible ability to age due to high sugar and acidity, but survival across centuries depends on flawless storage and luck. To own or even see such a bottle is to glimpse into history, proof that great winemaking can outlast empires, wars, and generations.

9. Château Lafite Rothschild 1869 – $233,972

A single bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild 1869 sold in Hong Kong for nearly $234,000 in 2010, despite being a standard 750ml. Lafite is a Bordeaux First Growth with a reputation for elegance, longevity, and refinement, but what made this particular sale remarkable was its age and condition. More than 150 years old, it had survived intact, perfectly stored, and authenticated. Collectors saw it as a symbol of both rarity and the timeless prestige that surrounds one of the world’s most admired châteaux.

10. Heidsieck 1907 Shipwrecked Champagne – $275,000

Discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Finland, bottles of Heidsieck 1907 Champagne spent nearly a century preserved underwater before being recovered and auctioned. One bottle sold for about $275,000, fueled by its remarkable backstory. The Champagne had been intended for Russian nobility before the ship sank in 1916, and the cool, dark sea kept the bottles surprisingly intact. Buyers weren’t just purchasing a drink-they were buying a fragment of maritime and social history trapped inside a piece of glass.