French wines weren’t the only ones to make their mark on the iDealwine auction landscape in 2024 – wines of the world also proved very popular with enthusiasts. Italy is unsurprisingly still the leading country on iDealwine outside of France, but other countries, some with centuries-old winegrowing traditions, are also very much on wine lovers’ lists.
The appeal of wines from around the world
For several years now, we’ve been witnessing a growing interest in wines from beyond France. In 2024, this phenomenon was confirmed and even amplified, if not in terms of auction prices, but in terms of the number of bottles sold. Last year, around 14,600 non-French bottles were sold on iDealwine, including 7,700 Italian bottles (stable volume compared to the previous year) and 3,500 Spanish bottles (up 83%). Wines from the USA proved in demand, with bottles fetching an average of €200 each.
Of course, it’s the great wine regions and estates that scored the highest results, in particular, Piedmont, Tuscany, California and Ribera del Duero, represented by top estates like Vega Sicilia, Screaming Eagle, Giacosa and Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia.
As for the auction prices of the wines in this Top 20, a slight lull was observed – although the average price last year was more or less the same as in the previous year, the median price was €938 in 2024 against €1,189 in 2023. However, these wines continue to attract plenty of international and French buyers, with six of the Top 20’s buyers based in France and 14 from the rest of the world. The prices paid for particularly rare bottles were further confirmation of the growing appeal for wines of the world. In 2023, the highest auction price for a non-French wine was €5,008, for a bottle of Very Old Tawny Port from the Ramos Pinto estate. In 2024, it was €11,268.
Which wines fetched the most?
The highest-priced wine from the USA
By far the highest-priced non-French wine traded in 2024 was a bottle of 1992 Oakville Napa Valley from Screaming Eagle, which fetched €11,268, as mentioned above. This is quite simply the most expensive wine made in the USA. And the bottle sold here is extremely rare as it is from the estate’s maiden vintage, which scored 99 points from Robert Parker. In fact, this vintage is so rare that it had never before appeared for auction on iDealwine. By way of comparison, the 1998 vintage traded for €2,840 on iDealwine on 28 November 2024.
In addition to Screaming Eagle, two further estates in the Top 20 are in Napa Valley: Harlan Estate and Promontory. Both these estates regularly feature among the most sought-after wines in the USA, alongside legendary estates such as Sine Qua Non, Opus One and Dominus.
The most-coveted estates in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany
Six of the wines in this Top 20 are Italian, including of course Italian greats like Ornellaia, Giacomo Conterno, and Gianfranco Soldera. Portuguese wines are also well represented, with three great Ports and three equally great Madeira wines.
And let’s not forget Spanish wine, which took several places with Vega Sicilia, Pingus and Commando G, and, finally, Germany which made 7th place with a wine from the Keller estate.
Mature and extraordinary vintages
As is often the case, mature vintages helped the auction price to climb in many cases, offering buyers the opportunity to experience the work of craftspeople who are sometimes no longer producing wine. The old bottles bought at auction on iDealwine were ones made to stand the test of time. Enthusiasts were able to get their hands on some rarities, such as Vega Sicilia’s 1923 Ribera Del Duero DO Unico, which went under the hammer for €2,438, or Bruno Giacosa’s 1990 Barbaresco DOCG Santo Stefano di Neive Riserva, which fetched €1,075.
Since wine lovers are fascinated by mature vintages, they inevitably radar in on sweet and fortified wines, which can easily last through the ages. We thus find nine fortified or dessert wines in this Top 20, including a precious half-bottle of 1999 Tokaji Essencia from Istvan Szepsy (in 2nd place), an 1880 Quinto de Noval (in 4th place), and a bottle of 1834 Madeira Malvazia from the Barbeito estate (in 10th). In addition to their age, it’s the extraordinary savoir-faire required to make these wines that keeps admiration for them strong.
Once again, our ranking shows that iDealwine covers wines from all over the world and – above all – that the wines on offer appeal to enthusiasts and professional buyers across the globe. So if you have similar wines which are located within the EU that you would like to sell, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Top 20 Highest-Priced Wines from around the World Sold at Auction in 2024
| 2024 Position | Lot | Lot hammer price (VAT included) | Hammer price scaled to 750ml (VAT included) | Sale date | Country where the buyer lives |
| 1 | 1 bottle of 1992 Oakville Napa Valley – Screaming Eagle | €11,250 | €11,250 | January 2024 | Italy |
| 2 | 1 half- bottle of 1999 Tokaji Essencia – Istvan Szepsy | €1,266 | €2,533 | October 2024 | UK |
| 3 | 1 bottle of 1923 Ribera Del Duero DO Unico (red) – Vega Sicilia | €2,438 | €2,438 | October 2024 | Poland |
| 4 | 1 bottle of 1880 Porto – Quinta Do Noval | €1,563 | €1,563 | September 2024 | France |
| 5 | 1 bottle of 2001 Toscana IGT Masseto (red) – Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia (Frescobaldi) | €1,313 | €1,313 | July 2024 | Italy |
| 6 | 3 bottles of 2004 Barolo DOCG Riserva Monfortino (red) – Giacomo Conterno | €3,688 | €1,229 | September 2024 | Italy |
| 7 | 1 bottle of 2018 Riesling Trocken GG Piesport Schubertslay Alte Reben (white) – Keller | €1,414 | €1,414 | February 2024 | France |
| 8 | 1 bottle of 2001 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva – Soldera Case Basse Tenuta (Gianfranco Soldera) | €1,188 | €1,188 | March 2024 | Italy |
| 9 | 1 bottle of 1990 Barbaresco DOCG Santo Stefano di Neive Riserva – Bruno Giacosa | €1,075 | €1,075 | January 2024 | Italy |
| 10 | 1 bottle of 1834 Madeira Malvazia – Barbeito | €1,063 | €1,063 | February 2024 | France |
| 11 | 1 bottle of 2004 Ribera Del Duero Pingus – Dominio de Pingus (Peter Sisseck) | €913 | €913 | December 2024 | USA |
| – | 3 bottles of 2018 Napa Valley – Promontory | €2,625 | €875 | March 2024 | Hong Kong |
| – | 1 bottle of 2014 Napa Valley – Harlan Estate | €875 | €875 | January 2024 | Chechia |
| 14 | 1 bottle of 1870 Porto Regoa – Quinta Da Bouça | €863 | €863 | July 2024 | Singapore |
| 15 | 1 bottle of Vinos de Madrid DO Rumboal Norte 2020 – Comando G | €813 | €813 | August 2024 | USA |
| 16 | 1 bottle of 2004 Barolo DOCG Pie Franco – Cappellano | €788 | €788 | April 2024 | Denmark |
| 17 | 1 bottle of 2007 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva – Giuseppe Quintarelli | €763 | €763 | May 2024 | Luxembourg |
| 18 | 1 bottle of 1900 Madeira – Manuel de Sousa Herdeiros | €750 | €750 | October 2024 | France |
| 19 | 1 bottle of 1894 Madeira Founders Solera Extra Choice Malmsey – Henriques et Henriques | €709 | €709 | March 2024 | France |
| 20 | 1 bottle of 1900 Porto – Quinta Do Sibio Duarte D’Oliviera | €688 | €688 | May 2024 | France |
