Chateau Margaux 1787

One more bottle from Jefferson's collection also fetched a significant amount of money, making it the most expensive wine on this list. However, surprisingly, this bottle was not even sold to a buyer. In a bizarre twist of events, a wine collector had a bottle of Chateau Margaux 1787 priced at $500,000.

Despite receiving no offers for this highly-priced item, he had the bottle with him when he dined at the Four Seasons, where a waiter accidentally knocked it over. Fortunately, the bottle was insured. As a result, the owner received a payment of $225,000 from the insurance company in 1989, which is equivalent to approximately $390,000 today. This set a record price for a bottle of wine.

Chateau Lafitte 1787

In 1985, publisher Malcolm Forbes made headlines by winning an auction for a 1787 bottle of Chateau Lafitte claret, rumored to be from Thomas Jefferson's collection. The bottle, bearing the late president's initials, was purchased for $160,000, equivalent to over $315,000 today. Despite some doubts about its authenticity, experts have conflicting views. Regardless, if the wine is truly from 1787, it is no longer drinkable but remains a valuable piece of Jefferson memorabilia.

Chateau Yquem 1787

Although white wine typically sells for less than red wine, a recent exception was a rare 1787 vintage Sauternes from Chateau Yquem that sold for a record price. The buyer, a wine collector in the United States, purchased it from a private collector in France and had it flown to the U.S. for delivery by a representative. The total cost for the wine and VIP door-to-door service was $100,000.

 Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992

At the recent Napa Valley Wine Auction, a local executive purchased a 1992 bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet, vintage 1992, in imperial size - equivalent to eight 750 ml bottles. The generous buyer paid $500,000 for the bottle, which breaks down to $62,500 per regular-sized bottle.

 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945

The recent sale of a collection from the private wine cellar of the owner of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild at Sotheby's New York attracted a large number of wine enthusiasts who placed their bids either in person or over the phone. The auction house was pleasantly surprised by the results, which exceeded their expectations. One sale that stood out was a 1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild jeroboam, a 5-liter bottle, which was purchased by an anonymous phone bidder for $310,700. This equates to over $47,000 per 750 ml.