Credit to photo: imagine.art.com
Text by: Gleb King
Yes, we are not the first. On the net there are plenty of lists like “The most pricey wines ever sold on Earth”. But we decided to go a different path. To be honest, the wines someone filthy rich had once acquired on some auction are far from reality. As the Wine Spectator’s Robert Taylor wrote – “These are the wines so legendary, so mythical that the wealthiest among us will bid in a fascinating competition of Who Will Pay the Most Money for Old Grape Juice”. Also, there’s misunderstanding in the quantities – the auction lot may be a 6 bottles case or a Jeroboam – and the price becomes even more unclear – what would it be for a standard bottle?
“We picked 5 most expensive 0.75 wine bottles in the world that are comparatively reachable by mere mortals”
You have to apply some serious math to know it, and we know that you don’t want to. So, we picked 5 most expensive 0.75 wine bottles in the world that are comparatively reachable by mere mortals. For this list we partly used data from Wine-searcher.com, partly from Symbolicwines.com and partly from other open sources. Compared to most other “f-n expensive wines” lists, these bottles are really on sale and one can virtually order them right now. Just in case. The price is average and may vary in fair numbers up or down – depending on the vintage and other parameters.
5. Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon
Price ≈ 4000$
This bottle has earned a reputation of a damn expensive wine in 2000, when it was sold for $500,000 at some charity wine auction in Napa Valley. It happened ages ago but the wine web still keeps us informed that Screaming Eagle cab is worth half a million. It’s not so. Actually, in real life, apart from crazy auctions, the bottle of this legendary vanilla-blackcurrant-herbal cabernet bomb will cost you around 4 grand.
4. Chateau Petrus
Price ≈ 5000$
Petrus is the symbol of richness so no surprise it costs much. Since the beginning, this chateau has been owned and managed by noble families and billionaires (the Arnauds, the Moueixes, Alejandro Santo Domingo) and has been served mostly to the blue-blooded. For example, it was seen at the table of Queen Elizabeth at her royal wedding in 1947 and served at New York’s famous Le Pavillon restaurant in the 1960s – for billionaires, politicians and other respected figures. Apart from its nobleness, Petrus is a really unique 11.5 hectares terroir on top of the hill in eastern Pomerol with very rare red clay soil, perfect for the Merlot variety which plays solo in this wine since 2010. Add a lot of investments and great care from royals – and you get a $5000 worth bottle.
3. W&J Graham’s “Ne Oublie” Tawny Port
Price ≈ 7000$
There are wines that cost much. And there are other precious wines that package’s cost is probably even more than their content. In case of this extremely rare (only 656 bottles) Douro port, you don't even have to drink it because the wine itself is more of a monument to the Symington family’s deeds in Portugal. As it’s written on Graham’s official webpage, this port “will mature idiosyncratically and only a deep knowledge of its character can ensure that it continues well”. So, yes, if you want some old tawny, you better save around $6700 and go for a more efficient solution like this Taylor Fladgate 1965.
"Ne Oublie" is an old Symington family's motto. In translation from gaelic it means "Do not forget"
But if you are willing to beсome an owner of a living part of world wine history, then maybe it’s for you. This wine was put in cask more than 130 years ago, when Andrew James Symington came to Portugal to work for W. & J. Graham’s. Now to the package: the handmade crystal decanter is designed by Atlantis in Portugal, three sterling silver bands over it are produced and engraved by Hayward & Stott in Scotland, and the handcrafted box is made by Smythson of Bond Street, England. You don’t have to be a Wine Advocate to know its worth.
2. Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
Price ≈ 15000$
Though Egon Muller himself is called The King of Riesling and runs his family winery which exists since 1797, the most of the price here is the vineyard. Scharzhofberger is one of the most magically suitable places to grow Riesling in the world. Nowhere the red and grey slate is so extremely weathered, nowhere the slope climbs from 190 to 310 meters above sea level and the soil consists of rocks by 70%. Nowhere the daily temperatures fluctuate so dramatically to gain this much sugar through daytime and maintain such a stunning acidity at nights. To be short – this terroir is perfect. All the parameters including Egon Muller’s nature non-intervention philosophy – are perfectly weighted and balanced. This wine is a great sample of precise and passionate German craftsmanship, which, as we know, costs much.
1. Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru
Price ≈ 33000$
Let me ask you a question. What would you do with a spare $33000 in your bank account? I personally would order a new Tesla Model 3. But there are some other people who won’t. What would they do then? Those, probably, in one of the scenarios, would find a DRC RC on Symbolicwines.com and click “Add to cart”. Why would they do so? Maybe because it’s the most luxury, sought-after and respected Pinot Noirs on planet Earth. Wine critic Clive Coates once called DRC RC “The best wine in the world”. Not more and not less. Of course, to appreciate it you have to read some articles about winemaking of Burgundy here and there. This wine is, without doubt, a leader of all “the most expensive wine” charts – whether they’re about past auctions or about bottles on sale right now. To buy the bottle of wine for $33000 you have to know well what you’re paying for, so there’s no need to explain the reasons. Once again, I would rather go for Tesla.
