From a bottle of crisp, full champagne to a bright and fruity rosé, there’s a sparkling wine for every palette. Champagne and sparkling wine are excellent choices for parties and get-togethers where a little bit of bubble is always welcome in a drink.
But what happens when we look at the highest-end beverages on the market? Several brands and bottles of bubbles can easily cost tens of thousands, or even millions, of dollars.
In this guide, I will cover the thirteen most expensive champagne and sparkling wine bottles in the world, explaining their creation, taste, and price in detail.
Join me as I delve into the world of expensive champagne and sparkling wine and learn how these bottles differ from your typical grocery store wine.
These sparkling wines are an adventure from the top shelf to the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
1996 Dom Perignon Rose Gold Methuselah – $49,000
Dom Perignon as a brand is often considered the pinnacle of luxury for champagne and sparkling wine, and the 1996 Dome Perignon Rose Gold Methuselah is no exception. This particular bottle goes for around $49,000!
This bottle of sparkling rosé is made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France.
Smoky berries dominate the taste, with smooth, vanilla notes rounding out the sip. Most rosé leans towards the light side, but this bottle is unique with its bold and rich flavors.
The bubbles help bring levity to the heavy flavors, and a glass of this wine pairs best with smoked fish.
2013 Taste of Diamonds – $2.07 million
For a price tag of 2.07 million dollars, you can expect far more from the 2013 Taste of Diamonds than your standard bottle of champagne.
The bottle itself is engraved with the buyer’s name on 18-karat gold, closely accompanied by the bottle’s label, which features 18-karat white gold. In the middle of the bottle stands a real, 19-karat diamond.
The liquid inside the bottle is just as decadent as the outside. The brand behind the wine is Goût de Diamant (translates to “Taste of Diamonds), and the wine’s inspiration comes from the luxury and indulgence of the 1920s.
The champagne is a classic bubbly brut which fits well with the 1920s theme.
1820 Juglar Cuvee
As one of the oldest bottles on this list, it’s no surprise that the 1820 Juglar Cuvee comes with some history.
In 2010, a cache of champagne bottles was discovered and recovered from a wrecked ship at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
Among the inventory were several bottles of 1820 Juglar Cuvee champagne from the House of Juglar wine company.
The House of Juglar no longer exists, so these bottles are even more exclusive due to that factor. When the bottles were first discovered, it was assumed the contents would be ruined.
However, the sealed champagne was perfectly fine to drink because the wine bottles remained in their containers in the dark and cold Baltic Sea for almost 200 years.
Bottles are sold for around $43,500, but reports have said they have even sold for as much as $156,000.
1841 Veuve Clicquot
As mentioned above, the 1841 Veuve Clicquot was among the bottles recovered from the Baltic Sea shipwreck in 2010.
Unlike the House of Juglar, Veuve Cliquot is a current champagne producer. The 1841 Veuve Clicquot champagne was cultivated and produced in the Champagne region in northern France.
The wine is a classic, vintage brut champagne that many have said was surprisingly sweet.
The aging process of almost 200 years in the Baltic Sea may have concentrated the sugary taste in the acidic drink.
The champagne brand Veuve Clicquot has since created an underwater vault to experiment with recreating the conditions of the Baltic Sea wines. Bottles from this batch have sold for over $34,000.
1928 Krug – $21,200
The 1928 Krug champagne is well-known due to its association with the English Royal Family.
The house of Krug is known for its immaculate attention to detail with its wines.
The first bottles of the 1928 Krug were first enjoyed as World War II closed, so the celebration of victory was in full effect.
The champagne is a blend of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot Meunier grapes.
The taste leans heavily towards the pinot noir, as the 1928 Krug has a bold, full, and dry flavor. This bottle sells for a minimum of $21,200.
1959 Dom Perignon
The 1959 Dom Perignon is a bottle of brut champagne from a year of exceptional harvest.
The rosé and cellar varieties from 1959 are also praised, but the champagne from the year is the coveted bottle that collectors go after – which is why it has sold for a whopping $42,350.
The taste of the 1959 Dom Perignon leans towards the smokey and heavy side, as coffee, caramel, and vanilla notes are present.
What makes the vintage bottle so beloved is the smooth aftertaste that non-aged wines can’t achieve. Unlike a new wine, the taste feels lived-in and warm.
Like most dry and heavy champagnes, this drink works beautifully with a hearty shellfish meal.
2011 Armand de Brignac 15-Liter
Many people have heard of “magnum” champagne bottles, which are larger than your standard bottle.
The magnum bottle is tiny compared to the 15-liter beast of a bottle that is the 2011 Armand de Brignac.
The bottle size is known as a “Nebuchadnezzar,” named after the famous king of Babylon, and it has sold for $90,000.
This Nebuchadnezzar bottle size equals twenty standard champagne bottles and fills 120 individual champagne flutes.
The brand behind the bottle, Armand de Brignac (translates to “Ace of Spades”), is owned by world-famous rapper and husband to Beyoncé, Jay-Z.
It fits that this impressive bottle comes from someone famous for their performances and visuals.
Armand De Brignac Brut Gold (Ace of Spades)
Another bottle from rapper Jay-Z’s brand is the Armand De Brignac Brut Gold, and this one sells for $69,748.
The brand, whose name translates to “Ace of Spades,” is one of the most well-known new brands in the world of champagne producers.
In an industry dominated by decades-old houses and families, Armand de Brignac has made a name as a true luxury producer.
While the brand is new, the company uses the wisdom and knowledge of father-son duo Alexandre and Jean-Jacques Cattier.
The family grew up and are professionals in wine, so their knowledge helped the brand grow.
2013 Armand de Brignac Rose 30-Liter Midas
The brand owned by rapper Jay-Z has a third entry on this list with the 2013 Armand de Brignac Rose 30-Liter Midas, sold at $275,000.
This massive sparkling rosé bottle is the largest champagne bottle size available. The name “Midas” comes from the tale of King Midas, who turned anything he touched into gold.
The Armand de Brignac is unique as a newer brand since they do not offer vintage bottles (yet).
However, they’ve managed to cultivate flavors and smoothness that you usually find only in vintage wines.
The rosé follows this pattern, with a prominent strawberry taste that is slowly melted by the taste of caramel and vanilla.