Chardonnay may be ubiquitous, but when it comes to the upper echelons of quality—and price—it’s anything but ordinary.
For decades, Chardonnay has been both a darling and a villain in the wine world. Loved by many for its versatility, richness, and range, the variety also became the target of the infamous “ABC” (Anything But Chardonnay) movement that swept through the 1980s and 1990s. Over-oaked and over-extracted wines from the New World prompted a backlash that pushed some producers to retreat into neutrality, resulting in bland, flavorless expressions of a grape that deserved better.
But Chardonnay bounced back. By the early 2000s, “Burgundian” became the new gold standard—an aspiration for winemakers globally. And rightly so. Burgundy is not only the birthplace of Chardonnay but also the benchmark for quality, producing the most complex, age-worthy, and increasingly expensive examples on the planet.
So just how expensive can Chardonnay get?
The World's Most Wanted White Burgundies on Wine-Searcher:
| Wine Name | Score | Ave Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coche-Dury Meursault | 92 | $1216 | |
| Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru | 96 | $11,730 | |
| Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru | 96 | $1756 | |
| Leflaive Clavoillon Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru | 92 | $433 | |
| Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru | 94 | $483 | |
| Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru | 95 | $1387 | |
| Leflaive Les Pucelles Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru | 94 | $707 | |
| Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet | 90 | $304 | |
| Domaine Francois Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre Chablis Premier Cru | 93 | $556 | |
| Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru | 97 | $6943 |
Some notable names are absent—Leroy, Domaine d’Auvenay, Rousseau, and Georges de Vogüé, for instance—perhaps due to limited availability or stratospheric pricing that pushes them into different rankings. Still, the takeaway is clear: serious collectors are eyeing white Burgundy like never before.
In a world where red Burgundy often dominates the headlines—and easily surpasses USD 10,000 per bottle—white Burgundy is closing the gap. If you're dreaming of grand cru Meursault or Puligny, the time to act may be now.
After all, loving Chardonnay is one thing. Paying for it is another.
Source: Wine-Searcher