A 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Bottle Sells for $812,500 at New York Auction

A bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has set a new world record for the most expensive wine ever sold at auction, reaching $812,500 at an event organized by Acker in New York. The sale took place during La Paulée, a renowned Burgundy wine celebration that attracts top producers and collectors from around the world. The bottle came from the personal cellar of Robert Drouhin, a respected figure in French winemaking who led Maison Joseph Drouhin for nearly five decades and played a key role in developing Oregon’s wine industry.

Only about 600 bottles of the 1945 vintage were produced, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after wines among collectors. The previous record for a single bottle of wine was also held by a 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, which sold for $558,000 in 2018. The latest sale marks an increase of almost 50% over that record, further establishing the 1945 vintage as the most coveted bottle in wine collecting history.

The 1945 vintage is especially significant because it was the last year before the vineyard’s old vines were replanted due to phylloxera, an insect that devastated European vineyards in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These pre-phylloxera vines had survived two world wars and nearly a century of Burgundy history. Many experts believe that wines made from these original vines possess unique depth and complexity that cannot be replicated by younger plants.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is located in Burgundy, France, and is known for producing some of the world’s most expensive and exclusive wines, primarily from pinot noir grapes. The estate produces between 5,000 and 6,000 bottles annually, but the scarcity of the 1945 vintage has driven its value to unprecedented levels.

The auction at La Paulée featured selections from 15 prestigious Burgundy estates and achieved more than $25 million in total sales. According to Acker, bidding was strong across all lots, with offers averaging 37% above high estimates and 85% of eligible lots setting new world records. Other notable sales included a Methuselah (six-liter bottle) of La Tâche 1971 and a case of twelve bottles of Romanée-Conti 1999, each selling for $325,000.

John Kapon, chairman of Acker, described tasting the 1945 Romanée-Conti as one of the greatest experiences of his career. He noted that production in that year was only about 10% of normal levels due to the struggle against phylloxera, resulting in just two barrels or approximately 600 bottles being made. Kapon emphasized both the rarity and historical significance of this wine, highlighting its status as the last vintage produced from pre-phylloxera vines.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti continues to dominate global wine auctions both in volume sold and prices achieved. Last year, wines from this producer accounted for 17% of Sotheby’s total wine sales volume—more than double that of any other producer. In addition to single-bottle records, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti also set the highest price for any lot sold at auction in 2025 with a twelve-bottle case of Romanée-Conti 1990 fetching $449,890 in Hong Kong.

The identity of the buyer who purchased the record-setting bottle has not been disclosed by Acker. The sale underscores ongoing demand for legendary vintages and historic producers among collectors worldwide. Despite changing trends in wine consumption, rare bottles like the 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti continue to attract extraordinary interest and investment at auction houses around the globe.