While it's important to collect what you love, the most knowledgable wine collectors know the top regions and estates to source from to boost the value and prestige of their cellars. They also understand the bottles and particular vintages that are both highly collectible now or have the capacity to age well and surge in value over the years.
A wine's vintage is one of the greatest determinants for why a certain bottle rises in price over average market value and will determine whether a bottle is ripe for your next dinner party or another decade in climate-controlled storage. The wine estate where the grapes were grown is also a major determinant in the value of a wine. Exceptional micro-production wineries—those that produce 1,000 or fewer bottles per year—are much more likely to see their bottles increase in price over those who produce several times more. And of course, there are those Old World European estates that will always carry weight for collectors—like the following ones featured here. Read on to discover the world's most expensive wines and a highly collectible vintage from each to inspire your next investment or another addition to your collecting wish list.
Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru
Domaine Leroy is an extension of the centuries-old Maison Leroy in Mersault. Founded in 1988, the legendary Lalou Bize-Leroy has pioneered the winery's biodynamic approach to vineyard cultivation and has made Domaine Leroy one of Burgundy's most revered wineries. The 2002 Musigny Grand Cru received a 98 rating in 2004 by Robert Parker, who writes, "Its glorious red cherry and violet-laden nose leads to a magnificently detailed, medium to full-bodied flavor profile. A wine of superb texture, purity, nobility, and length, it displays floral red fruit flavors that linger in its extraordinary finish." The average selling price for a bottle of Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru is $39,605.
Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Chevalier-Montrecht Grand Cru
Another brilliant bottle from Domaine Leroy, the d'Avuvenay label is home to only 10 acres of vineyards, but they produce some of the world's most spectacular Premier and Grand Crus from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The popular 2007 vintage has an aroma of peaches and tasting notes of marmalade and pineapple with a long finish. The average selling price for a bottle of Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Chevalier-Montrecht Grand Cru is $27, 418.
Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée Conti Grand Cru
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) is the most famous wine estate in Burgundy and its wines are produced in very limited quantities, making them even more prized. The estate's 1945 Romanée Conti is the most expensive wine ever sold, at $558,000 as part of a Sotheby's sale from Robert Drouhin's collection. Founded by the Burgundian icon Jacques-Marie Duvault in 1869, the estate was formerly managed by Domaine Leroy's Lalou Bize-Leroy and Aubert de Villaine, who now manages the estate with Henry-Frédéric Roch. The highly prized 2015 vintage red is a blend of blend of sweet, ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, pepper, tea, and herbs on the palate. Soft tannins allow for a a fruit-dominated, intense finish that offers a spectacular tasting experience. The average selling price for a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée Conti Grand Cru is $23,209.
Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru
Considered "the godfather" of Burgundy, Henri Jayer's wines are the only ones who have previously topped the other two wine estates as the most expensive bottles in the world in recent years. Jayer's wines are so prestigious due to their small production from some of the best terroirs in the Vosne-Romanée. Since his death in 2006, his Pinot noirs have achieved a strong cult following among the most discerning collectors. The 1985 vintage was described by Wine Spectator as, "Beautifully rich, elegant and complex, with great depth of fruit, plum, cherry, spice and a hint of chocolate on the palate. Very long and intense but smooth and elegant." The average price of a bottle of Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux, Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru is $18,364.
Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Yet another stunner from Bize-Leroy and the legendary wine estate, the Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is a spectacular addition to the most prestigious of wine collections with only 182 bottles being produced each year. 2014 is a popular vintage from this Burgundian Chardonnay which has a palate of tangerines and oaky tasting note. This is certainly one to hold in the cellar for a decade or two to experience its fullest expression. The average price of Leroy Domaine d'Auvenay Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is $18,115.
Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslee
The first wine on the list from a region outside of Burgundy—and outside of France in general—Egon Müller Scharzohofberger in Mosel, Germany wine estate is the country's most famous and produces some of the world's most expensive white wines. Egon Müller IV is the fourth generation to run the prestigious vineyards and the only German member of Primum Familiae Vini (The First Families of Wine), an elite collective of 12 family-owned producers. The ultra-collectible 2003 bottling of Müller's renowned Riesling Trockenbeerenauslee has aromas of white peach and apricot and features a long, elegant finish. The average price of Egon Müller Scharzofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslee is $16,776.
Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier Musigny Grand Cru
Domaine Georges Roumier was established in Burgundy's tiny commune of Chambolle-Musigny in Burgudny's Côte de Nuits sub-region in 1924 and Georges established the practice of domaine bottling that revolutionized the industry. Son Jean-Marie and grandson Christophe took over the reigns in 1981 and continue the estate's nearly 100-year-old legacy of championing exceptional wines. One of the most coveted vintages is the elegant 1992 Musigny Grand Cru that features a sweet base and hints of tea-like bitterness. The average price of a bottle of Domaine Georges Roumier Musigny Grand Cru is $16,356.
Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine Leflaive is an 18th-century Puligny-Montrachet wine estate which is world-renowned for its white wines. Joseph Leflaive transformed his family's Burgundian vineyards in 1920 with the help of his friend and estate manager François Virot and began selling bottles to private clientele under a private label. The third generation family winemaker, Anne Claude, is known alongside Bize-Leroy as one of the pioneers of biodynamic viticulture in the area. Today, the estate is run by Joseph's great-grandson, Brice de la Morandiere who has the same innovative mind of his great-grandfather and has continued building upon his legacy to make the estate more sustainable and the wines to have more longevity. The 1992 vintage was an important release for the family as the Domaine Leflaive name had diminished in prestige throughout the '80s, but once Anne Claude took the helm in 1990, she helped position the estate for greater success. This impeccable release still wows the world's most revered wine critics today for its ageability, exotic fruit aromas, and nuances of wet stone, honeysuckle and anise. The average price of a bottle of Domaine Lelfaive Montrachet Grand Cru is $13,026.
Lauren Wicks is a freelance writer and editor based in Birmingham, Alabama. Before going on her own, Lauren worked for brands such as VERANDA, EatingWell, and Cooking Light, and she covers all things lifestyle from interior design and luxury travel to wine and wellness.
