The most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction is a 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which fetched $812,500 at Acker’s La Paulée sale in New York on 26 to 28 March 2026. It beat the $558,000 record set for a 1945 bottle of the same wine in 2018. Prices below include the buyer’s premium unless noted.
| Rank | Bottle | Price (USD) | Sale date | Sold at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanée-Conti 1945 (75cl) | 812,500 | Mar 2026 | Acker, New York |
| 2 | DRC 1945 (75cl) | 558,000 | Oct 2018 | Sotheby’s, New York |
| 3 | Screaming Eagle 1992 (6 litres) | 500,000 | 2000 | Napa Valley charity auction |
| 4 | DRC 1945 (75cl) | 496,000 | Oct 2018 | Sotheby’s, New York |
| 5 | La Tâche 1971 (Methuselah, 6 litres) | 325,000 | Mar 2026 | Acker, New York |
| 6 | Cheval Blanc 1947 (Imperial, 6 litres) | 304,375 | Nov 2010 | Christie’s Geneva |
1. Romanée-Conti 1945: $812,500
The bottle came from the personal cellar of Robert Drouhin and sold in March 2026 at Acker’s La Paulée auction, livestreamed from New York. The 1945 vintage is the last made from vines before phylloxera forced replanting, and only about 600 bottles were made. One report says it is the same bottle that sold in 2018, a gain of about 46 percent.
How we valued it: the final auction total with fees, March 2026.
2. The 2018 record bottle: $558,000
The previous record bottle sold at Sotheby’s New York on 13 October 2018. It came from the Drouhin collection, which brought in $7.3 million overall. Reports put the pre-sale estimate at $22,000 to $32,000 per bottle before premium.
How we valued it: final total with fees at the 2018 sale.
3. Screaming Eagle 1992 Imperial: $500,000
This 6-litre bottle was the old article’s number one, and it sold for $500,000 at the Napa Valley charity auction in 2000, not 2009 as the old version said. Reports describe it as one of two bottles of that size. The winery’s 1992 vintage received 99 points from critic Robert Parker, and the sale was for charity, which helped lift the bidding.
How we valued it: reported charity auction price, 2000, premium treatment not confirmed.
4. The twin bottle: $496,000
Moments after the record 2018 bottle, a second bottle of that vintage sold to a US collector for $496,000.
How we valued it: final total with fees, same 2018 sale.
5. La Tâche 1971 Methuselah: $325,000
The second-highest result of 2026 so far was a 6-litre bottle of La Tâche 1971 at the same Acker sale, well under half the top lot. Large formats of top Burgundy lead the 2026 results, with 18 of the top 20 wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
How we valued it: final total with fees at the same March 2026 sale.
6. Cheval Blanc 1947 Imperial: $304,375
Christie’s sold this 6-litre Saint-Emilion on 16 November 2010 in Geneva for $304,375 (about 192,000 pounds), against an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. It was reported as the only imperial known for the wine, from a Swiss collector.
How we valued it: price reported for the 2010 Christie’s sale.
The oldest record: a Jefferson bottle
On 5 December 1985 a 1787 Chateau Lafite engraved with Thomas Jefferson’s initials sold at Christie’s London for 105,000 pounds to Kip Forbes. The bottle was later disputed, so we keep it outside the ranking.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
The $812,500 bottle is the record. Other 2026 results include a 1999 Romanée-Conti Jeroboam at $155,350 in March at Hart Davis Hart, and a 2015 Romanée-Conti reported at 20,380 euros hammer in June 2026.
What drives these prices
- Domaine: Romanée-Conti dominates the top.
- Format: large bottles carry a premium for scarcity.
- Provenance: a famous producer’s family cellar adds value.
- Charity: benefit auctions can overshoot market value.
How we put this list together
We ranked by realised auction price, using auction house results. Prices are approximate and change over time.
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What is the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold?
A 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, sold for $812,500 at Acker in March 2026.
What was the previous record?
$558,000 for a 1945 bottle of the same wine at Sotheby’s New York in October 2018.
Was the Screaming Eagle the most expensive?
It sold for $500,000 in 2000 at a charity auction, which made it a record at the time, but later sales passed it.
When did the Screaming Eagle sell?
In 2000, not 2009.
How much does a normal Romanée-Conti cost?
A 2015 bottle was reported at 20,380 euros hammer in June 2026.
Last updated: October 2026.
