You can enjoy champagne for almost any occasion. Are you celebrating a new job? Open a bottle of champagne. Are you ringing in the new year? Open a bottle of champagne. Are you enjoying a date night out? Open a bottle of champagne.
For these celebrations, a budget bottle of champagne can do the trick, but what if you want to spend a little more? Would you be willing to pay $22,500 for a bottle of champagne? Or would you be able to celebrate and spend $1.8 million on a bottle of champagne?
In today’s article, this is the price range we will discuss when listing the most expensive champagnes. Some of the most costly champagnes on our list are as low as $22,500 and as expensive as $1.8 million!
The Most Expensive Champagnes
Romanée Conti 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – $60,000
The Romanée Conti 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sold for $60,000 at the Sotheby’s auction on December 11, 2021. It was only estimated to bring $55,000, but it went over by bringing in $60,000. This 1996 bottle of champagne has a strong flavor of cherries, plums, licorice, and raspberries.
Montrachet 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – $25,000
The Montrachet 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sold for $25,000 at Sotheby’s auction on December 11, 2021. The 2001 bottle of champagne is nutty and sweet with orange zests, allspice, and ginger. It has a gingerbread finish with a hint of lime on the backside. It was estimated to bring between $13,000 and $22,000 but sold for $25,000 at auction.
Dom Perignon, Oenothèque 1976 – $20,000
The next most expensive champagne bottle on our list is the Dom Perignon, Oenothèque 1976. It sold for $20,000 at Sotheby’s auction in 2021. It was only estimated to bring between $8,000 and $11,000, but it sold nearly double that amount! The Dom Perignon, Oenothèque 1976 has a nutty, sweet taste with a bit of heat on the finish. It is part of the Dom Pérignon vintage collection, contributing to its value.
Dom Perignon, Vintage 2003 – $41,000
Another Dom Perignon on our list is this vintage champagne bottle from 2003 that features a label with a portrait of Karl Lagerfeld and his Choupette cat. It sold for 37,800 EUR, equivalent to a little more than $41,000 US.
This vintage champagne was estimated to bring between 150 and 200 EUR, which is about $163, and it sold more than 250 times that amount! Karl Lagerfeld was a German creative director and fashion designer who died in 2019. His estate was auctioned in Paris, and this champagne was part of his collection that was in the auction. Some of the items in the auction included personal belongings that he wore, but none of them depicted him and his Choupette like the 2003 vintage Dom Pérignon.
Louis Roederer Brut, Cristal, Millennium Cuvée–Vintage 1990 – $18,800
On November 1, 2006, this lot of Cristal sold for $18,800 at Christie’s, including a bottle of Methuselah Cristal. The Louis Roederer Brut, Cristal, Millennium Cuvée–Vintage 1990 was a millennium edition of the 1990 blend made only once, which is why this lot brought more than its estimate. It was estimated to get only between $8,000 and $12,000, bringing $18,800 after all was said and done.
Perrier-Jouët Brut Millésimé 1874 – $55,815
The Perrier-Jouët Brut Millésimé 1874 was sold at Christie’s on December 2, 2021 for $55,815. The story of this champagne began in 1811 when Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adélaïde Jouët were married. They decided to take their love and background of arts and botany to create a champagne house. The champagne would be based on the Chardonnay grape. They began to grow Chardonnay grapes to create champagne that would have a floral and fruity flavor.
The business grew, and they began to export their champagne to Great Britain and the United States. They made a variety of champagnes while keeping their core principles at the forefront. Their son, Charles Perrier, became part of the family’s business and maintained the same principles and core values.
Charles Perrier died, but the champagne house lived on through Henri and Octave Gallice, who became the directors. There have only been eight master cellars who have worked at the champagne house, and each of the master cellars was trained by their predecessor. Today, the master cellar is Séverine Frerson, the first woman master cellar at the champagne house.
The 1874 vintage sold here for $55,815 was sold in 1888 at Christie’s auction in London. It held the record for the most expensive champagne sold at auction from 1888 until 1967. The 1874 vintage is so sought-after because it was blended by Charles Perrier using the finest Chardonnay grapes from their Cramant vineyard in that champagne region.
Jacques Selosse, Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 1988 – $13,475
The Jacques Selosse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 1988 sold for $13,475 at Christie’s on June 21, 2017. Anselme Selosse studied winemakers in Burgandy to adopt a similar method. He created rich but balanced champagne. He chose to harvest his grapes exceptionally late in the season. His champagne has a racy acidity due to its limited use of malolactic fermentation and low dosage.
These 75cL bottle threesome of Jacques Selosse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 1988 were estimated to bring between $9,000 and $14,000, and they ended up selling for nearly the top-of-the-line amount of $13,475.
Bollinger, Brut R.D. 1965 decl – $11,875
The Bollinger Brut R.D. 1965 decl sold at Christie’s auction for $11,875. Most champagnes of the 1950s had 20 grams per liter of residual sugar, and Madame Bollinger wanted something less sweet and drier. She wanted an extra brut. So, when the first Bollinger Brut R.D. 1965 decl was blended, it only had 6 grams of sugar per liter. The lower the dosage of sugar, the drier the champagne would be and thus the purer it would be. Madame Bollinger was widowed at age 42, so it was vital for her to have champagne that she and her guests could enjoy while they kept her company.
The flavors of the Bollinger Brut R.D. 1965 decl are many. There are fresh and subtle notes of fruit, honey, and spice on the nose. The palate is fresh yet intense. On the back end, fruity notes of apples and plums stay with you after the finish. The Bollinger Brut R.D. is made up of a combination of chardonnay and pinot noir.
2013 Taste of Diamonds – $1.8 million
The last champagne on our list is also the most expensive one. It is the 2013 Taste of Diamonds that sold for $1.8 million.
The champagne is a blend of Grand Cru Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier that gives it a light, floral, and fresh flavor with a rich texture. The finish is light and elegant, which doesn’t leave you feeling full.
While the notes and finish of the champagne make this drink remarkable, it’s not where the value comes from. The value of this champagne comes from the bottle that holds it. The actual bottle of the 2013 Taste of Diamonds is made of 18K solid gold with a single, flawless diamond in the middle of the label that weighs 19 carats. This is a bottle that you can’t let just anyone hold.
What Makes These Champagnes the Most Expensive?
Different factors give champagne its value. One of the main reasons that champagnes become so expensive is because of how rare they are. When you find rare champagne from a champagne house, like the Perrier-Jouët Brut Millésimé 1874, it adds value because of how few of these blends were made.
Champagne, like the 2013 Taste of Diamonds, gets its value from the bottle that holds it. A bottle with 18K gold and a 19-carat diamond will always be a more expensive bottle than all other champagnes, which is why it sold for $1.8 million, making it a rarity on its own. As we see from our list, most of the best champagne brands range from $11,000 to $60,000.
Conclusion
How much will you spend the next time you’re ready to pop open a bottle of bubbly? Whether you prefer cristal rosé, cristal brut, rosé champagne, or sparkling wine, buying bubbly for less than $100 may seem like a steal after learning about these luxury champagne brand options.
Now that you know how expensive champagne can be, does it make you want to purchase one of these bottles for your next special celebration? Or are you more inclined to stick with a moderately-priced bottle of Armand de Brignac, Veuve Clicquot, or Perrier Jouet champagne? Check out more of our posts to learn about other expensive items available for a splurge!
