In brief
- A 1945 Romanée-Conti is the most expensive wine ever sold, at $812,500 at Acker in March 2026.
- It beat the $558,000 record set by another 1945 Romanée-Conti at Sotheby’s in 2018.
- Three of the top four bottles are 1945 Romanée-Conti; only about 600 bottles were made.
- Screaming Eagle 1992 is the most expensive American wine, at $500,000 for a 6-litre bottle.
As of October 2026, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold is a 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which made $812,500 at Acker’s La Paulée auction in New York in March 2026. It beat the previous record of $558,000, set by another bottle of the same wine at Sotheby’s in 2018.
Burgundy and Bordeaux dominate the list, along with one Californian cabernet and one Champagne. Prices below are auction results including buyer’s premium unless marked otherwise. Most are for a standard 750 ml bottle; large formats are noted.
The 10 most expensive wines at a glance
| Rank | Wine | Price | Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanée-Conti 1945 | $812,500 | Acker, New York, 2026 |
| 2 | Romanée-Conti 1945 | $558,000 | Sotheby’s New York, 2018 |
| 3 | Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992 (6 litres) | $500,000 | Napa Valley charity auction, 2000 |
| 4 | Romanée-Conti 1945 | $496,000 | Sotheby’s New York, 2018 |
| 5 | Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945 (jeroboam) | $310,700 | Auction (reported) |
| 6 | Château Cheval Blanc 1947 (6 litres) | $304,375 | Christie’s Geneva, 2010 |
| 7 | Heidsieck 1907 (shipwreck) | $275,000 | Reported sale |
| 8 | Château Lafite 1869 | $230,000 | Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2010 |
| 9 | Château Margaux 1787 | $225,000 | Valuation, 1989 |
| 10 | Château Lafite 1787 | $156,450 | Christie’s London, 1985 |
Three of the top four are bottles of 1945 Romanée-Conti. Only about 600 bottles were made that year before the domaine pulled up its old vines and replanted, which makes surviving bottles extremely rare.
Also readLuxury Gifts for Men 2026: 12 Premium Picks Worth Buying1. Romanée-Conti 1945: $812,500
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is a small Burgundy estate whose Grand Cru vineyard covers less than two hectares. Its wines are among the most sought after in the world even in normal vintages.
A 750 ml bottle of the 1945 vintage sold for $812,500 at Acker’s La Paulée auction, held from 26 to 28 March 2026 and livestreamed from the Marea restaurant in New York. Acker said it was the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction.
2. Romanée-Conti 1945: $558,000
This bottle set the previous world record at Sotheby’s New York on 13 October 2018. It came from the collection of Robert Drouhin, whose family firm was a long-time distributor of the domaine’s wines.
The price was many times the pre-sale estimate. At the same sale, three bottles of 1937 Romanée-Conti sold for about $930,000 combined.
3. Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 1992: $500,000
Screaming Eagle is a small producer in Oakville, in California’s Napa Valley, known for making very limited quantities of cabernet sauvignon. Its 1992 vintage was the first it released.
A 6-litre bottle sold for $500,000 at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2000. As it was a charity sale, the price was well above what the wine would fetch at a normal auction.
4. Romanée-Conti 1945: $496,000
A second bottle of 1945 Romanée-Conti from the Drouhin collection sold at the same Sotheby’s sale in October 2018. Together, the two bottles made just over $1 million.
The two results showed how much buyers were willing to pay for the vintage. Both prices were later beaten by the 2026 sale.
5. Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945: $310,700
The 1945 Mouton-Rothschild is one of the most famous Bordeaux wines of the 20th century. Its label carries a large “V” for victory to mark the end of the Second World War.
A jeroboam, a large bottle of about 4.5 to 5 litres for Bordeaux, reportedly sold for $310,700 at auction. The vintage is still prized for its quality and long life.
6. Château Cheval Blanc 1947: $304,375
The 1947 Cheval Blanc from Saint-Émilion is often described by critics as one of the best Bordeaux wines ever made. A very hot summer produced unusually rich, ripe wines that year.
A 6-litre imperial bottle sold for $304,375 at Christie’s Geneva in November 2010. At the time it was a record for a single bottle of wine.
7. Heidsieck 1907: $275,000
These Champagne bottles were on a ship bound for the Russian imperial family of Tsar Nicholas II when it was sunk by a German submarine in 1916. Divers found the wreck in the Baltic Sea in 1997 and raised the bottles soon after.
The cold, dark water kept the wine in drinkable condition. One bottle reportedly sold for about $275,000, though the exact sale has not been confirmed by an auction house.
8. Château Lafite 1869: $230,000
Three bottles of 1869 Château Lafite, taken directly from the château’s own cellar, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2010 for about $230,000 each.
The sale came at the height of demand for Lafite from buyers in mainland China and Hong Kong. The price was many times the estimate.
9. Château Margaux 1787: $225,000
This bottle was engraved with the letters “Th.J.” and said to have belonged to Thomas Jefferson, the third US president and a keen collector of French wine. New York wine merchant William Sokolin owned it and valued it at $225,000.
The bottle was broken in 1989 when it was knocked over at a dinner in New York, so it was never sold. Sokolin received an insurance payment for the loss.
10. Château Lafite 1787: $156,450
Another bottle engraved “Th.J.” was bought by publisher Malcolm Forbes at Christie’s London in 1985 for $156,450. It was the first bottle of wine to sell for more than $100,000.
The bottle was later put on display, and the heat from the lights dried the cork, which slipped into the wine and ruined it. The link between these bottles and Jefferson was later disputed.
How we ranked these
We ranked wines by the highest single-bottle price, using auction results where available. Bottles valued but not sold, such as the 1787 Margaux, and reported private sales are marked as such.
The Penfolds Ampoule, a 2004 Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon sealed in a glass ampoule, is left out because it was sold directly by the winery at a fixed list price rather than at auction. For other rare collectibles, see our guides to the most expensive watches and the most expensive rings ever made.
Sources: Wine Industry Advisor on the 2026 Acker record, Quartz on the 2018 Sotheby’s sale, NBC New York on the $558,000 bottle, Vincent, most expensive wines sold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive wine ever sold?
The most expensive wine ever sold is a 750 ml bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. It made $812,500 at Acker’s La Paulée auction in New York in March 2026, beating the $558,000 record set by a bottle of the same wine at Sotheby’s in 2018.
Why is 1945 Romanée-Conti so expensive?
Only about 600 bottles of 1945 Romanée-Conti were made. After that harvest, the domaine pulled up its old vines and replanted, so the vintage was the last from those vines. Very few bottles survive, and Romanée-Conti is already one of the most sought-after wines in the world.
What is the most expensive American wine?
The most expensive American wine sold is a 6-litre bottle of 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. It made $500,000 at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2000. As it was a charity auction, the price was far higher than normal market value.
What happened to the Thomas Jefferson wine bottles?
Two 1787 bottles engraved Th.J. were linked to Thomas Jefferson. A Château Margaux valued at $225,000 was broken at a dinner in 1989, and a Château Lafite bought by Malcolm Forbes for $156,450 was ruined when its cork dried out. The Jefferson link was later disputed.
How much does a bottle of Romanée-Conti cost?
Prices vary widely by vintage. Recent vintages of Romanée-Conti Grand Cru usually sell for many thousands of dollars per bottle, while rare old vintages fetch far more. A 1945 bottle set the world auction record of $812,500 in March 2026.
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