The Most Expensive Glasses of Wine in NYC Right Now

Drinking wine in New York City has never been a cheap affair, but more recently ordering a glass — let alone a bottle — has started to feel like an outright luxury. On lists across the city, wines by the glass now live in the $18 to $25 zone, with some nearing or even crossing the $30 line. The markups have forced many regular wine drinkers to turn to cocktails, which typically provide more booze for your buck.

Predictably, the prices get even more out of hand at the city’s top fine-dining restaurants, with programs offering prestige cuvée Champagnes and back vintages of coveted Burgundies, Brunellos, and dessert wines that run up to and well beyond the $100 mark. While these prices might seem completely ridiculous to a majority of consumers, the by-the-glass pours present the opportunity to try extremely high-end wines without having to shell out even more for the entire bottle.

Whether you’re looking to splash out on an extravagant glass, seeking out a way to try a rare old vintage of Madeira without stalking old cellar sales, or you’re here purely out of morbid curiosity, here are nine of the most expensive glasses of wine in NYC right now. This list is by no means exhaustive, but meant to provide a snapshot of some of the priciest pours you can get around the city today.

Le Coucou: Pascal Agrapart ‘Minéral’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut Champagne 2018 — $75

Credit: Le Coucou

Le Coucou is one of the most stunning restaurants in Manhattan. The stately dining room is adorned with crisp white tablecloths and tall candelabras that match the elegant French fare. With the refined French cuisine, of course, comes a lengthy wine list. The glass pours fit mostly in the $25 to $40 range, the most expensive of which is the Pascal Agrapart Grand Cru Champagne for $75. It might seem steep, but if there’s ever a place to splurge on a glass of great vintage grower Champagne in NYC, it’s at Le Coucou.

The Grill: Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 — $75

Credit: The Grill

Looking to indulge in a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with a thick cut of prime rib at Major Food Group’s grand Midtown steakhouse The Grill? Well, a glass of Joseph Phelps 2021 Napa Cab will cost you $75 — almost the same price as the prime rib itself, which is presented with an elaborate tableside trolley service for $95. Cocktails here will run you $26, and the cheapest glass of wine is a Riesling at $19 (a 2015 Bordeaux from renowned producer Lynch Bages is a relative steal at $54). The Cabernet is even more expensive than a pour of vintage Dom Perignon, listed at $72. The Grill knows what the people want, and is going to make them pay for it.

The Polo Bar: The Mascot Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 — $95

Credit: The Polo Bar

If you’re lucky enough to score a table at Ralph Lauren’s buzzy, plaid-covered restaurant, get ready to shell out some serious money for a few glasses of wine. And for once, wine might actually be the most frugal choice, as a Martini will cost you between $35 and $90 (or $495 if you spring for the Stoli Elit Pristine Water Series New Zealand Edition Vodka). The regular wines-by-the-glass menu at The Polo Bar offers options that range from $20 to $85, but there’s a separate “reserve” section for the more sought-after offerings. This includes a 2022 White Burgundy from Domaine Leflaive, a 2017 Benanti Rovittello Etna Rosso, and a glass of 2019 The Mascot Napa Cab for $95 to pair with Ralph’s classic corned beef sandwich.

53: Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021 — $128

Credit: 53

53 is a modern Asian restaurant in Midtown Manhattan that opened in 2022. Its glass offerings range from an $18 Spanish white to a $92 Bordeaux and beyond, with a grand cru white Burgundy taking the crown at the price of $128 a glass.

Marea: Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 2018 — $140

Credit: Marea

Marea is renowned for its luxury seafood and pasta dishes, like the fusilli with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow or the mafaldine with king crab garlic butter. In addition to its regular by-the-glass list, Marea offers a different menu of premium wines available via Coravin. Two wines actually tie for most expensive on the list, a 2018 white Burgundy from the esteemed Puligny-Montrachet village and a 2020 Barolo, each listed at $140.

Torrisi: Sassicaia 2021 — $140

Credit: Torrisi

Major Food Group knows how to play to its audience. While The Grill might be for steak and Napa Cab, the restaurant group’s newest Italian gem, Torrisi, is all about the pasta and Tuscan reds. While you can enjoy a Super Tuscan blend from Cerbaiona for $25 a glass, the menu tempts diners with the opportunity to try the highly coveted Sassicaia for just a small, $140 fee.

Atomix: Dom Perignon P2 Brut Champagne — $195

Credit: Atomix

This two-Michelin-starred Korean tasting menu spot also offers a reserve by-the-glass list in addition to its more reasonably priced entry-level offerings. Diners can take advantage of this menu to try back vintage wines like a 2015 Pinot Noir from Hirsch for $95 or top producers like the Northern Rhône’s Chave for $95. But of course, the most classic luxury pour, Dom Perignon, takes the cake, with the 2004 vintage of P2 selling for $195 a glass.

Eleven Madison Park: D’Oliveiras Tinta Negra Madeira 1929 — $265

Credit: Eleven Madison Park

Three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park is the epitome of fine dining. With one of the city’s most extensive wine programs, it’s no surprise the by-the-glass list has some high-end offerings, but with commendable range as well. The least expensive glass of wine is a $12 Riesling from the Finger Lakes, and there are plenty of wines in the $19 to $35 range, with some pricier options, like the $95 2009 Brunello di Montalcino. But where the list really starts to get steep is the fortified wine section, with back vintages stretching to the early 1900s. The most expensive pour on the list right now is a D’Oliveiras Tinta Negra Madeira from 1929 for a cool $265. The perfect way to end a $365 tasting menu dinner.

Per Se: D’Oliveiras Verdelho 1912 — $650

Credit: Per Se

If you’re running a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, expensive wine comes with the territory. But Per Se’s wine list takes by-the-glass pricing to another level. The least expensive option is a $17 Côtes du Rhône, but most glasses are in the $35 to $45 range, outside of a $150 pour of 2015 Dom Perigonon. Similar to Eleven Madison Park, the sweet and fortified wine section will make your heart skip a beat. A half-ounce pour of the Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Eszencia 2016 will run you $175. Things hit another stratosphere in the Madeira section, with pours from the 1908, 1912, and 1937 vintages of D’Oliveiras — priced at $500, $650, and $400, respectively — making the $265 pour at EMP look like a steal.

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