Chardonnay has long been one of the world’s most popular white wines. As a relatively neutral grape variety, it’s a grape capable of spectacularly reflecting the terroir in which it’s grown, resulting in some pretty pricy bottles. This is especially true when they come from Burgundy, the grape’s native home.
A recent report from Wine-Searcher identified the 10 most expensive Chardonnays in the world, and each one of them comes from the renowned French region. In fact, practically the entire list is dominated by one label — Domaine d’Auvenay, a Saint-Romain based, biodynamic winery established by the iconic vintner Lalou Bize-Leroy and her husband Marcel Leroy in 1988. Domaine d’Auvenay wines are produced from just four hectares (approximately 10 acres) of vineyards across 16 appellations, with a primary focus on prestige sites.
The extremely limited production — not to mention the reputation of its winemaker — has sent prices soaring, with even the “most affordable” bottling on the list coming in at over $8,000. And Domaine d’Auvenay isn’t even the only label produced by Bize-Leroy on the list — there’s also a bottle from Domaine Leroy, which Bize-Leroy similarly established in 1988. That means Leroy accounts for a whopping 80 percent of the list, further proving her prowess in fine-wine production.
Curious to see which bottles made the cut? Keep reading to check out the 10 most expensive Chardonnays in the world, according to Wine-Searcher.
10. Domaine d’Auvenay Meursault
This bottling from Domaine d’Auvenay comes from Meursault, a small village in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune subregion. Rather than using fruit harvested from a specific vineyard site, this Chardonnay is composed of fruit from the entire village, which actually doesn’t have any grand cru designations. Even so, the wine retails for an eye-popping price. Average score: 91. Average price: $8,161.
9. Domaine d’Auvenay Les Folatières
Head south from Meursault to reach Puligny-Montrachet, a highly acclaimed village known for its complex white wines. To produce this bottling, Domaine d’Auvenay uses fruit harvested from the Les Folatières vineyard, a roughly 43-acre premier cru site that benefits from gentle sun exposure thanks to its east-facing position. At the time of Wine-Searcher’s publication, this wine’s average price was around $8,850 but has since climbed to over $9,000. Average score: 96. Average price: $9,041.
8. Domaine d’Auvenay Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseigneres
This Domaine d’Auvenay bottling also hails from Puligny-Montrachet. The fruit used to produce it is harvested from the little-known Les Enseigneres vineyard. While the site does not have a classification itself, it borders the esteemed grand cru Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet vineyards, and this wine exhibits similar excellence to those produced there. While its global average retail price has since dipped to $8,109, at the time of Wine-Searcher’s publication it was priced at $8,908, putting it in the eighth spot on the list. Average score: 94. Average price: $8,109.
7. Domaine d’Auvenay Les Gouttes d’Or
This single-vineyard expression from Domaine d’Auvenay has increased in value by more than $1,000 in the past year. All of the grapes used to produce it are harvested from the premier cru Les Gouttes d’Or site in Meursault, whose name fittingly translates to “the droplets of gold.” Average score: 97. Average price: $9,901.
6. Leroy Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Here, we break from the dominance of Domaine d’Auvenay with this single-vineyard bottling from Domaine Leroy, another Lalou project. While a much larger operation than Domaine d’Auvenay, Domaine Leroy vineyards are tended with the same level of care, leading to the label’s lofty prices. All the fruit used in the wine’s production comes from Corton-Charlemagne, a grand cru AOC regarded as one of the finest in Burgundy. Average score: 95. Average price: $10,599.
5. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) is a producer that needs no introduction. While the esteemed winery is perhaps more famous for its Pinot Noirs — also among the world’s most expensive — its white Burgundies fetch a pretty penny. too. This bottling comes from Montrachet, a 19-acre grand cru vineyard that’s known for growing some of the highest-quality Chardonnay in Burgundy. Average score: 97. Average price: $10,869.
4. Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru
Located in Puligny-Montrachet, Domaine Leflaive almost exclusively produces white wines from its roughly 60 acres of estate vineyards. Like DRC’s bottling, this Chardonnay also comes from the Montrachet vineyard, though it’s far and away the more expensive option, coming in at just under $20K. Average score: 95. Average price: $19,469.
3. Domaine d’Auvenay Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
This wine hails from one of the smallest AOCs in all of France: Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. At just four acres in size, the vineyard is the only grand cru site entirely within the boundaries of the distinguished Chassagne-Montrachet commune, hence the lavish price tag. Average score: 97. Average price: $20,754.
2. Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
This Domaine d’Auvenay bottling comes from the grand cru Chevalier-Montrachet vineyard in the Côte de Beaune’s Puligny-Montrachet village. Over the past five years, its value has increased exponentially, skyrocketing from around $7,500 to well over $22,000. Despite slipping one spot in the rankings year-over-year, Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru is anything but affordable. Average score: 98. Average price: $22,426.
1. Domaine d’Auvenay Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Finally, we’ve reached the world’s most expensive Chardonnay and, unsurprisingly, it’s another bottling from Domaine d’Auvenay. The wine is sourced from the 30-acre grand cru Bâtard-Montrachet site, which neighbors the similarly prestigious Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet vineyards. Last year, the white Burgundy occupied the No. 2 spot, but it soared over $3,000 in value, enough to push it into the top spot. Average score: 97. Average price: $23,857.
