The 10 Most Expensive Chardonnays in the World (2024)
Chardonnay is one of the most popular white wine grapes in the world, grown in diverse regions from across the northern Hemisphere to the southern tip of Argentina and remote islands off of Australia. Although there are great examples of wines made from Chardonnay from each of these distinct areas, the examples that fetch the highest prices all come from the variety’s home in France.
A new report by Wine-Searcher has revealed the most expensive bottles of Chardonnay this year, and it’s no surprise that all 10 come from the esteemed vineyards of Burgundy. Aside from their appealing roots in the historic and highly-regarded region, these wines are typically produced in very limited quantities. This low supply and high demand has consistently led to ever-rising prices.
Beyond the finite amount of land that can contribute to these wines, the region’s prolific producers also play a major part in Burgundy’s sky-high prices. That’s more than evident in this year’s list of the most expensive bottles, as nine out of 10 all come from the same winemaker: Lalou Bize-Leroy. Leroy was a co-director at the famed Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) before leaving in 1991 over a dispute regarding the winery. When her husband passed away in 2004, Leroy took over Domaine d’Auvenay. And while all white Burgundy is seeing a sharp increase in price, Leroy’s bottles are soaring through the roof. Now, the highly coveted wines from the small estate are commandeering the rankings, slowly replacing DRC across the list.
Keep reading to discover the most expensive Chardonnays in the world, according to Wine-Searcher.
10. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault Les Narvaux
Kicking off the list is (surprise!) a bottle from Domaine d’Auvenay. This particular bottling comes from Meursault, a village in the Côte de Beaune sub-region of Burgundy. Though the area is renowned for its unctuous white wines, it actually holds no Grand Cru-designated sites. However, Narvaux is actually the village’s highest-altitude vineyard, leading to a distinctly elegant — and, of course, expensive — wine. Average score: 96. Average price: $7,635.
9. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Puligny-Montrachet en La Richarde
Just to the south of Meursault lies the even more distinguished village of Puligny-Montrachet. This area is known for its complex white wines — considered by many to be the finest expressions of Chardonnay on the planet — hence the whopping price tag. Average score: 95. Average price: $8,550.
8. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières
In the No. 8 spot, we have yet another Domaine d’Auvenay wine. This bottle’s also from Puligny-Montrachet, but unlike the example above, this expression comes from a Premier Cru site. Les Folatières is a highly regarded vineyard, notable for its prime, east-facing position on the hilly area’s slopes. It’s Premier Cru status gives this wine some extra oomph, pushing the price even higher. Average score: 96. Average price: $8,666.
7. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault Les Gouttes d’Or
Ranking seventh on the list is another bottle from Domaine d’Auvenay — shocking, we know. This expression comes from a Premier Cru site in Meursault. The vineyard’s name Les Gouttes d’Or translates to “the droplets of gold.” Apt, as it will literally take droplets of gold to pay for this coveted bottle. Average score: 97. Average price: $8,682.
6. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault
It’s interesting that this bottle from the broader Meursault area catches a higher price than the previous examples, which all come from highly specific vineyard sites. This bottle also has the lowest average score on the list at 91 points. Nevertheless, the wine still fetches a pretty penny. Average score: 91. Average price: $8,754.
5. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseigneres
We’re back in Puligny-Montrachet for No. 5. Curiously, the Les Enseigneres vineyard is a relatively unknown site that neighbors extremely prestigious Grand Cru sites in the area. The hidden gem is known to deliver Grand Cru quality for under-the-radar prices, but it seems like many have caught onto the hype with this bottle. Average score: 95. Average price: $9,129.
4. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru
Here, we finally arrive at a bottle from DRC, one of the most illustrious estates on the planet. Though the winery is best known for its wildly expensive Pinot Noirs, its white wine still has a good amount of clout, cracking the $10,000 mark on this list. Average score: 96. Average price: $11,459.
3. Leroy Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
This bottle comes from the historic Domaine Leroy that goes back several generations in Lalou’s family. So, although this bottling doesn’t come from her project at the Domaine d’Auvenay estate, we’re going to count this as another win for Lalou. This one comes from Corton-Charlemagne, a Grand Cru site considered to be one of the best in Burgundy. All together, these factors lead to a shocking price tag. Average score: 95. Average price: $11,867.
2. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
The final two spots on the list truly reach astronomical prices, with this particular bottling seeing a drastic increase from about $8,000 four years ago to over $20,000 today. This wine is from the Grand Cru Bâtard-Montrachet vineyard, nestled just below the highly acclaimed Le Montrachet vineyard that spans both Puligny and Chassagne-Montrachet. Average score: 97. Average price: $20,690.
1. Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine d’Auvenay tops the list with this jaw-dropping Chardonnay from the Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. Though Le Montrachet is more well-known, this site located just above it is often considered equally high-quality. The price for this bottle has tripled over the past four years, jumping from $7,500 to over $23,000. Though we don’t expect to be trying this wine anytime soon, those who have the chance to can boast that they’ve consumed the most expensive Chardonnay in the world. Average score: 98. Average price: $23,121.
*Image retrieved from Тимур Конев via stock.adobe.com
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