2021’s Most Expensive Wines at Auction: Burgundy’s Grip Tightens

2021’s Most Expensive Wines at Auction: Burgundy’s Grip Tightens

iDealwine’s highly anticipated auction ranking, revealed!

Another record year for iDealwine

In an intense year for the wine auction market, 2021 was once again a record-breaking for the 100% online player. 48 auctions were held including dedicated 9 private collections and over 190,000 bottles went under the hammer (+8.5%). Generating an estimated €41million in sales, a 24% increase on 2020. Whisky continues to attract attention via Fine Spirits Auction, a partnership between iDealwine and La Maison du Whisky. Six auctions of fine spirits generated approximately €2million.

In 2021, hammer prices went on average 35% above low estimates. Cyrille Jomand, CEO of iDealwine said: “Driven by the heightened global demand for fine wine, iDealwine has achieved a record year in 2021. Our 100% online auction model that first disrupted the fine wine industry 20 years ago, has culminated in our position as the world’s leading online auction house”.

Cyrille Jomand, Chairman and CEO of iDealwine, said: “Driven by the intensification of the global demand for fine wines, iDealwine has achieved a record year in 2021, which validates its disruptive model of digital wine auctions, initiated 20 years ago, and confirms its position as the world’s leading auction house in this field.”

2021 at auction: surge in global demand for fine wine, sustained and spectacular growth in Burgundy

A trend that is going nowhere anytime soon, consumer thirst for Burgundy is nowhere near quenched, and a slowdown nowhere in sight as the region continues to claim more and more spots in auction rankings. In iDealwine’s newly published ranking, Burgundy occupies a staggering 49 out of the top 50 most expensive bottles auctioned (up from 39 last year) and 41 of the 50 top lots(ranking which includes multi bottle lots), up from 36 in 2020.

For two years in a row now, the accolade of most expensive bottle went not to DRC but to Leroy – this year Lalou Bize-Leroy’s 2006 Musigny went under the hammer for €28,244 (up from €17,499 for a 2001) in 2020. The most expensive multi-bottle lot was a mixed case of Domaine de La Romanée-Conti which included 12 x 2017 Grand Crus, fetching €42,857.

Bordeaux shines in multi-bottle lots and large formats.

Bordeaux’s grip on the most expensive wines at auction has loosened in past years, its share in auction rankings in decline for several years now. Even though demand is still there, Bordeaux has simply been eclipsed by Burgundy’s rising prices. reach the prices of Burgundy, and even more so after 2021, when the price of Burgundy’s grands crus will soar even higher.

For the first time in iDealwine’s ranking history, Bordeaux has lost all its places in the top 50 most expensive bottles. Not all is lost however, with Bordeaux claiming 10 places in the lot ranking which includes multi-bottle lots. Petrus, Cheval Blanc, Mouton-Rothschild, and mixed cases all feature, including a 16-bottle Carré d’As case (Petrus, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion) which fetched €27,016.

Bordeaux and Burgundy aside, Languedoc was the only other wine region represented in the ranking a bottle. A 1992 bottle of Grange des Pères, the first vintage produced by the late, great, Laurent Vaillé, fetched €8,350.

Auction 2021 – Most Expensive Bottles

# Wine Colour Buyer  Hammer Price per 75cl

(for multi-bottle or large format lots)

€ (EUR)

 Hammer Price (lot)

 

€ (EUR)
                       1 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Leroy (Domaine) 2006 Red Private – UK 28 244,0 28 244,0
                       2 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1990 Red Trade – IRELAND 20 998,8 20 998,8
                       3 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2017 Red Private – FRANCE 20 998,8 20 998,8
                       4 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2010 Red Trade – FRANCE 19 402,4 19 402,4
                       5 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1990 Red Private – UK 18 542,8 18 542,8
                       6 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2017 Red Private – UK 17 192,0 17 192,0
                       7 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2016 Red Private – FRANCE 16 332,4 16 332,4
                       8 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1990 Red Trade – FRANCE 16 209,6 16 209,6
                       9 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1985 Red Private – CZECH REP 15 718,4 15 718,4
                    10 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1996 Red Private – UK 15 350,0 15 350,0
                    11 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2006 Red Trade – FRANCE 14 858,8 14 858,8
                    12 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2009 Red Trade – FRANCE 14 736,0 14 736,0
                    13 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1997 Red Private – UK 14 490,4 14 490,4
                    14 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2014 Red Trade – FRANCE 13 999,2 13 999,2
                    15 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2011 Red Private – FRANCE 13 630,8 13 630,8
                    16 1 Bottle Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru d’Auvenay (Domaine) 2005 Red Private – UK 13 630,8 13 630,8
                    17 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1965 Red Trade – JAPAN 13 508,0 13 508,0
                    18 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2004 Red Trade – HONG KONG 12 894,0 12 894,0
                    19 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1997 Red Private – UK 12 894,0 12 894,0
                    20 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1994 Red Trade – HONG KONG 12 832,6 12 832,6
                    21 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2007 Red Trade – HONG KONG 12 402,8 12 402,8
                    22 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1988 Red Trade – UK 12 280,0 12 280,0
                    23 1 Bottle Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru d’Auvenay (Domaine) 1995 Red Private – FRANCE 11 788,8 11 788,8
                    24 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1988 Red Private – AUSTRIA 11 052,0 11 052,0
                    25 1 Bottle Echézeaux Grand Cru Henri Jayer 1985 Red Private – UK 11 052,0 11 052,0
                    26 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1989 Red Private – SWITZERLAND 11 052,0 11 052,0
                    27 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1976 Red Trade – FRANCE 10 929,2 10 929,2
                    28 1 Bottle Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru d’Auvenay (Domaine) 1999 Red Trade – FRANCE 10 806,4 10 806,4
                    29 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1986 Red Trade – FRANCE 10 683,6 10 683,6
                    30 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2000 Red Private – GERMANY 10 560,8 10 560,8
                    31 1 Double-magnum Echézeaux Grand Cru Bizot (Domaine) 2006 Red Trade – FRANCE 10 438,0 41 752,0
                    32 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 2002 Red Trade – FRANCE 10 438,0 10 438,0
                    33 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1991 Red Private – HONG KONG 10 438,0 10 438,0
                    34 1 Bottle Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères d’Auvenay (Domaine) 2014 White Private – UK 10 069,6 10 069,6
                    35 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1989 Red Trade – FRANCE 9 946,8 9 946,8
                    36 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1975 Red Trade – FRANCE 9 762,6 9 762,6
                    37 1 Bottle Montrachet Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2014 White Private – UK 9 701,2 9 701,2
                    38 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1974 Red Trade – FRANCE 9 455,6 9 455,6
                    39 1 Bottle Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères d’Auvenay (Domaine) 2015 White Private – FRANCE 9 455,6 9 455,6
                    40 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1974 Red Trade – FRANCE 9 240,7 9 240,7
                    41 1 Bottle Montrachet Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2010 White Private – UK 9 087,2 9 087,2
                    42 1 Magnum Echézeaux Grand Cru Bizot (Domaine) 2009 Red Trade – FRANCE 9 025,8 18 051,6
                    43 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 2001 Red Trade – FRANCE 8 964,4 8 964,4
                    44 1 Bottle Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères d’Auvenay (Domaine) 2015 White Trade – FRANCE 8 718,8 8 718,8
                    45 1 Bottle Montrachet Grand Cru Leflaive (Domaine) 2012 White Trade – FRANCE 8 596,0 8 596,0
                    46 1 Bottle Richebourg Grand Cru Leroy (Domaine) 1989 Red Trade – FRANCE 8 596,0 8 596,0
                    47 1 Bottle Richebourg Grand Cru Leroy (Domaine) 1989 Red Trade – FRANCE 8 473,2 8 473,2
                    48 2 Bottle Richebourg Grand Cru Leroy (Domaine) 1989 Red Private – UK 8 350,4 16 700,8
                    49 1 Bottle IGP Pays d’Hérault Grange des Pères Laurent Vaillé 1992 Red Private – FRANCE 8 350,4 8 350,4
                    50 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1984 Red Private – UK 8 227,6 8 227,6

 

 

 

 

Auction 2021 – Most expensive lots

# Wine Colour Buyer  Hammer Price (€)
1 Assortiment 2017 du Domaine de la Romanée-Conti : 1 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru – 4 La Tâche Grand Cru – 3 Richebourg Grand Cru – 4 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru Red Trade – FRANCE                42857
2 10 Bottles Case Domaine de la Romanée Conti Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2 Tâche, 2 Richebourg, 2 Romanée Saint Vivant, 1 Grand Echezeaux,2 Echezeaux, 1 Romanée-Conti 2003 Red Trade – FRANCE                      41998
3 1 Double-magnum Echézeaux Grand Cru Bizot (Domaine) 2006 Red Trade – FRANCE                      41752
4 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Leroy (Domaine) 2006 Red Private – UK                      28244
5 16 Bottle Case Carré d’As 4 Petrus – 4 Latour – 4 Margaux – 4 Haut Brion 2000 Red Private – UK                      27016
6 12 Bottles Petrus 1983 Red Trade – FRANCE                      24069
7 12 Bottles Petrus 1985 Red Trade – FRANCE                      23578
8 12 Bottles Petrus 1985 Red Trade – FRANCE                      23578
9 6 Bottles Petrus 1989 Red Trade – FRANCE                      21122
10 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1990 Red Trade – IRLANDE                      20999
11 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2017 Red Private – FRANCE                      20999
12 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2010 Red Trade – FRANCE                      19402
13 1 Double-magnum La Tâche Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1983 Red Private – UK                      19280
14 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1990 Red Private – UK                      18543
15 1 Magnum Echézeaux Grand Cru Bizot (Domaine) 2009 Red Trade – FRANCE                      18052
16 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2017 Red Private – UK                      17192
17 2 Bottles Richebourg Grand Cru Leroy (Domaine) 1989 Red Private – UK                      16701
18 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2016 Red Private – FRANCE                      16332
19 6 Magnums Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2ème Grand Cru Classé 1961 Red Trade – USA                      16332
20 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1990 Red Trade – FRANCE                      16210
21 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1985 Red Private – CZECH REP                      15718
22 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1996 Red Private – UK                      15350
23 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2006 Red Trade – FRANCE                      14859
24 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2009 Red Trade – FRANCE                      14736
25 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1997 Red Private – UK                      14490
26 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2014 Red Trade – FRANCE                      13999
27 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2011 Red Private – FRANCE                      13631
28 1 Bottle Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru d’Auvenay (Domaine) 2005 Red Private – UK                      13631
29 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1965 Red Trade – JAPON                      13508
30 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2004 Red Trade – HONG KONG                      12894
31 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1997 Red Private – UK                      12894
32 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1994 Red Trade – HONG KONG                      12833
33 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2007 Red Trade – HONG KONG                      12403
34 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1988 Red Trade – UK                      12280
35 1 Bottle Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru d’Auvenay (Domaine) 1995 Red Private – FRANCE                      11789
36 12 Bottles Château Cheval Blanc 1er Grand Cru Classé A 1990 Red Trade – USA                      11470
37 1 Magnum Echézeaux Grand Cru Bizot (Domaine) 2012 Red Private – FRANCE                      11359
38 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1988 Red Private – AUSTRIA                      11052
39 1 Bottle Echézeaux Grand Cru Henri Jayer 1985 Red Private – UK                      11052
40 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1989 Red Private – SWITZERLAND                      11052
41 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1976 Red Trade – FRANCE                      10929
42 1 Bottle Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru d’Auvenay (Domaine) 1999 Red Trade – FRANCE                      10806
43 12 Bottles Château Mouton Rothschild 1er Grand Cru Classé 1986 Red Trade – FRANCE                      10757
44 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1986 Red Trade – FRANCE                      10684
45 1 Bottle Romanée-Conti Grand Cru Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2000 Red Private – GERMANY                      10561
46 9 Bottles Case Collection Duclot 2 Petrus – 2 Yquem – 2 Latour – 2 Lafite Rothschild – 1 La Mission Haut-Brion 2005 Red Private – FRANCE                      10561
47 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 2002 Red Trade – FRANCE                      10438
48 1 Bottle Musigny Grand Cru Georges Roumier (Domaine) 1991 Red Private – HONG KONG                      10438
49 9 Bottle Case Collection Duclot 1 Lafite Rothschild – 1 Latour – 1 Mouton Rothschild – 1 Margaux – 1 Haut Brion – 1 La Mission Haut Brion – 1 Cheval Blanc – 1 Petrus – 1 Yquem 2010 Divers Private – FRANCE                      10315
50 3 Bottle Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru Domaine René Engel – Domaine Eugénie 1990 Red Private – ITALY                      10192