The 20 Most Expensive Wines Sold at Auction in 2026 So Far
Written by - Cult Wines Team
The top end of the fine wine auction market has produced some extraordinary results in 2026. Burgundy occupies every position among the 20 most expensive individual wines sold so far, with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti accounting for 18 of them. Leading the list is a single bottle of Romanée-Conti 1945, which sold for a record US$812,500.
Beyond the headline prices, the results reveal what collectors are competing hardest for. Large formats dominate the ranking, while exceptional provenance, tiny production and historic vintages repeatedly command significant premiums. From six-litre methuselahs to bottles with traceable histories stretching back decades, the 2026 results show how scarcity can turn an already rare wine into an individual collectible.
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News in brief
‘Big Short’ Investor Michael Burry Bets on Fine Wine
Michael Burry has revealed he is buying fine wine as a hedge against a weaker US dollar, financial-system risk and potential disruption from AI and quantum computing. Burry pointed to prices around 25–30% below their October 2022 peak, diminishing supply as bottles are consumed and historically low correlation with equities as reasons for investing. He described fine wine as a “terrific diversifier” and highlighted Bordeaux names including Pétrus, Margaux and Mouton Rothschild.
Tariff Refunds Bring Welcome Relief for US Wine Trade
US wine and spirits importers are receiving billions in refunds after tariffs introduced under President Donald Trump were ruled illegal and removed. Around US$100 billion had been returned across affected industries by August, providing businesses with a welcome cash injection. While new tariffs remain on imports from major trading partners, the repayments have given wine importers greater financial flexibility following a prolonged period of trade uncertainty.
Chapel Down Looks to Asia to Challenge Champagne
Chapel Down is targeting Asian markets as it seeks to win a greater share of the global sparkling wine market from Champagne. The English producer sees growing international demand for premium sparkling wine as an opportunity to expand exports and build recognition for English wine, with Asia forming an increasingly important part of its international growth strategy.
What we’re drinking
Domaine Denis Bachelet, Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2014
Jessie Wu, Relationship Manager - Cult Wines
There is something particularly rewarding about catching Burgundy at the point where youthful fruit begins to give way to the complexity that only time can bring. The 2014 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes feels right at that point. Produced from several parcels of remarkably old vines in Gevrey-Chambertin, this is technically a village wine, but one with considerably more depth and pedigree than the classification might suggest. Denis Bachelet’s tiny domaine has long been admired for wines that favour precision and elegance over sheer power, and this old-vine cuvée is a wonderful introduction to that style.
The 2014 vintage brings plenty of freshness to the wine. Red cherry and darker berry fruit sit alongside rose petal, subtle spice and that earthy, slightly sauvage character so closely associated with Gevrey. With more than a decade in bottle, the fruit is beginning to soften and the wine is taking on more savoury, tertiary dimensions, while still retaining the acidity and fine tannic structure that give it energy. The old-vine concentration adds depth, but nothing feels heavy; instead, it is finely boned, mineral, and beautifully balanced.
That combination makes the 2014 particularly appealing to drink today. Give it some air and a large Burgundy glass, and there should be plenty to discover as it evolves over an evening. For me, this is exactly the charm of mature Burgundy: not necessarily the loudest wine on the table, but one that keeps drawing you back to the glass. And with Bachelet’s production so small, it also reminds us that sometimes the most memorable bottles in Burgundy are the ones whose quality goes well beyond what is written on the label.
Our fine wine feature
Seventy years of Unico: what tasting Vega Sicilia across seven decades tells you
Written by - Aarash Ghatineh, CRO - Cult Wines
Drawing on years of tasting and collecting Vega Sicilia, Aarash Ghatineh looks back across seven decades of Unico, from rare pre-appellation bottles of the 1950s to more recent releases. Along the way, he explores what the labels, ageing and evolution of each vintage reveal about one of Spain’s most celebrated estates.
Beyond the tasting notes, the numbers tell their own story. Production remains tightly controlled, while Unico, Valbuena 5º and Reserva Especial offer different routes into the estate for collectors and investors looking beyond Bordeaux, Burgundy and Italy.
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Explore & travel
Porto and the Changing Face of Port
Written by - Sean Wright, Fine Wine Buyer - Cult Wines
Porto is a city built on Port, but the way people drink it is changing. From the historic lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia to white Port and tonic on the terraces, the category is finding new ways to sit alongside the traditions that made it famous.
Cross the Douro into Porto, and the picture broadens further, with wine bars championing Portuguese still wines and producers increasingly looking beyond fortified styles. A weekend on both sides of the river offers a glimpse at how Port, and the Douro around it, is evolving.
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