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How Does Expensive Wine Taste? ($1000 a Bottle!)

Written by Madeline Puckette

One percent of the wines in the world are called icon wines and they are the most expensive wines in the world. We found one of these icon wines in an old cellar and decided to drink it. Watch the video below to find out what the most expensive wine tastes like.

A Market Based on Prestige

Bordeaux wines were classified in 1855 and the first growths (the “first growth” wines aka premier cru) of Bordeaux have skyrocketed to about one thousand dollars a bottle. The demand is based on the prestige of the wine. On a recent visit, Madeline found a bottle of 1990 first growth Bordeaux in her grandmother’s cellar. So she did the only reasonable thing to do – she drank it.

We taste-tested a bottle of 1990 Château Haut-Brion we found in our grandmother's basement.
How Much Does The Most Expensive Wine Cost?

If you read the post on wine prices, you’ll discover that wine doesn’t really need to cost too much more than $80 a bottle (on the high side). Demand and prestige make the most expensive wines cost upwards of $5,800 a bottle for specific producers on excellent vintages. The very expensive wines around the world include:

  • Grand Cru Burgundy (pinot noir from France) $400-$5800
  • First Growth Bordeaux (Cabernet-based blends from France) $400-$2600
  • Vintage ‘tete a cuvee’ Champagne $400-$3000
  • Italian Barolo (a Nebbiolo-based wine) $400-$2000
  • Culty Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $350-$800

Written byMadeline Puckette

James Beard Award-winning author and Wine Communicator of the Year. I co-founded Wine Folly to help people learn about wine. @WineFolly


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