The World’s most Expensive Champagnes

Ah, Champagne.

So light and fizzy. So effervescent, its tiny bubbles ascending like shooting stars of happiness. The sweetness balanced perfectly with a hint of bitterness. The pure refreshment.

It is, perhaps, the world’s perfect drink, enjoyed by the rich and famous, champions of the world, and just about anyone else who is of legal drinking age and appreciates the nice things in life.

The question is how nice?

Like life itself, the world of Champagne is filled with options. There are Champagnes that could kindly be called ‘inexpensive.’ There are those that fall into the ‘affordable’ category and there are bottles that cost more than most peoples’ homes.

If you’re like most people, you probably tend to purchase something with a sensible price tag when you’re planning on enjoying a bottle of the bubbly. But, like most people, you probably like to splurge every now and then.

So if there is a special occasion on the horizon–New Year’s Eve, a birthday, an anniversary, or just Friday, maybe–and you’re interested in enjoying some of the world’s best Champagne’s, take a look at this list of the world’s most expensive:

1. Taste of Diamonds

If you have an extra $2 million and some change lying around, why not take a look at a bottle of Taste of Diamonds circa 2013?

The Champagne is as good as the bottle in which it comes–adorned with a logo made from more 18 carats of gold, a 19-carat diamond affixed to it.

It’s made from three grapes, each of which work together to deliver a delicious flavor. And make no mistake about it, there are two good reasons this Champagne is among the most expensive in the world–and the bottle is only one of them.

2. 2013 Armand de Brignac Rose 30-Liter Midas

This is one type of Champagne that proves that quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive. One single bottle weighs more than 40 pounds and stands taller than 48 inches. It also costs more than $270,000 and you will think it’s worth every penny.

3. Armand de Brignac 15-liter

The third most expensive bottle of Champagne is another that provides copious amounts of the bubbly.
If you are the type of person who enjoys the finer things in life in large quantities (and who isn’t?), a bottle of this Armand de Brignac Champagne includes 15 incredibly enjoyable liters, making it perfect for any party that involves a lot of people, as long as you can pony up the price tag, with is more than $85,000.

4. Dom Pérignon Rosé Gold Methuselah

Why is a bottle of Dom Pérignon from 1996 coming in at fourth on this list of the world’s most expensive Champagnes? Well, the bottle of course.

The $50,000 price tag gets you unmatched deliciousness as well as a six-liter, bottle made from gold to go along with it.

5. Juglar Cuvée

For those who appreciate a good pirate story, consider a bottle of Juglar Cuvee from the 1820s.
This singular bottle was rescued from the bottom of the sea after a shipwreck and represents the last known bottle from the company that produced it, which went out of business shortly after this bottle was produced.

If you can track it down on one of those websites that lists some of the nightclubs where you could find a bottle, you can own it for $43,500.

6. 1959 Dom Pérignon

No bottle of Dom Pérignon is every going to be inexpensive, but some are going to cost more than others–especially when it is desired by world leaders.

That’s why a bottle of 1959 Dom Pérignon will run you $43,350.

Legend has it that back in the 1970s the then-Shah of Iran demanded that bottles of this little beauty be served at a party celebrating the 2,500-year anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire.

He got his Champagne, which became the stuff of legends and one of the eight most expensive bottles in the world.

7. 1841 Veuve Clicquot

Bottles of this bubbly were pulled from the bottom of the sea after a ship went down in the Baltic Sea. And because everyone seems to love anything recovered from a shipwreck, a bottle now goes for about $34,000.

8. 1928 Krug

When a bottle of Champagne is beloved by a king, it will become the stuff of legend.

That’s what happened with this Champagne.

It was the bubbly of choice for King George VI and for good reason. The grapes delivered exceptional quality that year, making sure that this would be a memorable year for Champagne.

It’s relatively easy to get a bottle, too, because WWII meant that the 1928 collection was hidden and protected in the Krug cellars for years. There are still a lot of bottles left in circulation.