Few things are as pleasing after a long day of travel as settling in with a nice glass of local wine. But, as many know, the price for a couple glasses of wine can add up. Here are some of the most expensive wines in the world, so you can be on the lookout the next time you are on the road.
5. Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru
This white Burgundy, known for its rich flavor, was produced by the lauded Anne-Claude Leflaive until her death in 2015. The 54-acre vineyard produces many varieties that can be found for less than $100 per bottle, including the 2017 vintage. However, anything that comes from the 12-acre grand cru vineyard starts at $10,000.
4. Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Musigny Grand Cru
Established by Georges Romaine in 1924, this 28-acre winery has been making world class wines in the Chambolle–Musingy region of Burgundy for almost a century. The grand cru variety grows in high altitude soil that is infused with limestone. This gives the wine a strong body when the wine is new and makes it an excellent wine to age. A bottle of this red Burgundy starts at $13,000.
3. Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
The world’s most expensive bottle of white wine is also the only wine from Germany on the list. This wonderful Riesling is produced on steep inclines and with the vines rooted in slate. The wine itself is a complex interplay of spice that exists between the subtle sweetness of a good Riesling and the right level of acidity.
To own a bottle of the most expensive wine produced outside of France, you will need to pay at least $13,500.
2. Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru
The second most expensive bottle of wine in the world is produced on the grand cru section of the Musigny vineyard, which is only half an acre large. Lalou Bize-Leroy produces all the wines that come from this section, which is a part of a farm that practices biodynamic farming. Bottles of Domaine Leroy can be found for prices that start at $18,000.
1. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru
For years, the Domaine Romanée-Conti has commanded the highest prices for a single bottle of wine in the world. The wine, grown on 4-acres of vineyard in Romanée-Conti, is considered the perfect example of a Burgundy wine. It is an excellent pinot noir whose elegant tannins delight the senses and provide a supreme, satisfying experience.
To get your hands on a bottle of the Domaine Romanée-Conti, be prepared to spend, at an absolute minimum, $20,000.
While this may seem like a lot to pay for a bottle of wine, consider that in 2018 a collector at a Sotheby’s auction paid $558,000 for a bottle of the 1945 vintage of the same wine. Only minutes after, a second bottle was purchased for $496,000. Both sales set records for the most amount of money paid for a single bottle of wine.
While acquiring a bottle of one of these rare and expensive bottles may be both a thrilling and delicious experience, keep in mind that at the end of the day, the most important thing about wine is how you enjoy it. So, when you’re traveling to one of these wonderful wine regions, be sure to relax, find something that sounds appealing on the list and enjoy your well-earned evening of rest and relaxation.