Top 5 Most Expensive Alsacia Wine
Alsacia wine has produced some legendary bottles that command astonishing prices at auction. The Alsace (Alsacia) region in France is famed for aromatic whites like Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer. In rare cases, especially from prestigious Grand Cru vineyards and special late-harvest (vendange tardive) selections, an Alsacia wine can reach stratospheric prices. These wines often hail from exceptional vintages and tiny productions, developing incredible complexity with age.
Below we spotlight the top 5 most expensive Alsacia wines ever sold (based on historical auction records) and what makes each so extraordinary. Each is an Alsacia wine icon in its own right. We’ve also included an affordable alternative available from our store, so you can experience a taste of Alsace without the sky-high price.
Top 5 Most Expensive Alsacia Wine
1. Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune Vendanges Tardives 1989 – Alsace’s Crown Jewel
Approx. Price: ~€400+ per 750ml bottle.
The 1989 Clos Sainte Hune Vendanges Tardives from Maison Trimbach tops the list. This late-harvest Riesling is arguably the most sought-after Alsacia wine ever. It was produced from the revered Clos Sainte Hune vineyard (within the Rosacker Grand Cru in Hunawihr) only in an exceptional year.
This golden nectar was made from vendange tardive grapes affected by noble rot, yielding intense sweetness and concentration. Each sip unleashes layers of apricot jam, candied citrus, honey, and mineral tension. Vibrant acidity runs through it, so it remains balanced and not cloying even with all the richness.
Only a tiny quantity was made, and it earned legendary status (including a 100-point score from critics). Thanks to its rarity, perfection, and decades-long aging potential, this Alsacia wine has shattered auction records for white wines. Collectors revere it as the pinnacle of Alsace winemaking.
Affordable Alternative: While nothing truly compares to Trimbach’s crown jewel, you can still enjoy a taste of fine Riesling with the 【15†Marcos Hehn Riesling】. This Portuguese Riesling delivers bright citrus, green apple, and peach notes with crisp acidity. It echoes the elegant character of a dry Alsace Riesling – minus the high price tag.
2. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg Sélection de Grains Nobles 1994 – Pinot Gris Perfection
Approx. Price: ~€300 per half-bottle (375ml) equivalent.
In second place is Zind-Humbrecht’s legendary 1994 Pinot Gris Heimbourg Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN). This Alsacia wine is a late-harvest Pinot Gris taken to extremes of richness. In 1994, vintner Olivier Humbrecht produced an SGN from the Heimbourg vineyard by painstakingly selecting only the most botrytis-affected grapes.
The result is an ultra-concentrated dessert wine with opulent flavors of mango, pineapple, dried apricot, and sweet baking spices. It pours a viscous amber in the glass. Despite its immense sweetness, there’s a backbone of acidity and minerality (Heimbourg’s limestone soils shine through) that gives it lift and balance.
Only a few hundred bottles were made, each half-bottle offering an intense experience. This wine’s combination of biodynamic pedigree, Grand Cru level terroir, and sheer lusciousness make it one of the priciest Alsacia wines ever auctioned.
Affordable Alternative: To sample a bit of Alsace’s sweet magic on a budget, try a mineral-driven white like 【0†Sunny Granite Alvarinho】. This Portuguese Alvarinho (from granite soils) is dry but offers elegant floral aromas, stone fruit notes, and vibrant acidity. It hints at the balance of fruit and minerality found in great Alsace whites, though without the sweetness – all at a friendly price.
3. Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Quintessence de Grains Nobles
1989 – Liquid Gold in a Glass
Approx. Price: ~€250 per half-bottle equivalent.
Third on the list is the 1989 Quintessence de Grains Nobles from Domaine Weinbach – essentially a “double” selection of noble rot grapes of Pinot Gris. 1989 was a phenomenal vintage in Alsace, and Weinbach’s Laurence Faller crafted this “Quintessence” from their Clos des Capucins estate vineyard. It is an extraordinarily rich Alsacia wine often described as liquid gold.
The wine overflows with decadent flavors: think candied peach, ripe melon, toffee, and honeycomb, wrapped in a luscious, silky texture. There’s a fragrant bouquet of marmalade, saffron, and dried flowers that immediately captivates. Despite the unctuous sweetness, it retains a vein of freshness that keeps it lively.
Only a tiny amount was ever released, making it incredibly rare today. This bottle showcases the heights that Alsace Pinot Gris can reach in terms of sweetness and complexity. No surprise that it fetched record prices among Alsacia wine enthusiasts at auction.
Affordable Alternative: Instead of splurging on this rare sweet marvel, you can experience similar indulgence with a classic Portuguese fortified wine. A 【17†Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny Port】 offers a comparable medley of caramel, dried fruit, and nutty flavors. It’s a luxurious sweet treat that, while still special, comes at a much friendlier price than an aged Alsace SGN.
4. Hugel Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles 1989 – Riquewihr’s Spicy Treasure
Approx. Price: ~€220 per bottle (375ml format, SGN).
In fourth place stands Hugel’s 1989 Gewürztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles. Famille Hugel is an iconic Alsace producer, and 1989 was a milestone year for them – it was the first time they made a SGN dessert wine from Gewürztraminer under the new appellation rules of the 1980s.
This Alsacia wine is profoundly aromatic and sweet. It entices with an explosion of exotic fruits and spice: lychee syrup, rose petal jam, candied ginger, and sweet baking spices fill the nose and palate. The wine is full-bodied and syrupy, yet thanks to Gewürztraminer’s natural acidity (and expert winemaking), it has a clean, long finish. Only a few hundred bottles were produced, each in 375ml format, making it highly collectible.
With the Hugel name, a great Grand Cru vineyard source (the grapes came from the Sporen and Schoenenbourg area near Riquewihr), and an outstanding vintage, this wine became one of the most expensive Alsace Gewürztraminer ever sold. It’s a spicy-sweet treasure that exemplifies why Alsacia wine can be so coveted.
Affordable Alternative: For a far more accessible taste of Alsace’s aromatic charm, consider the 【25†Lacrau Moscatel Galego Reserve White】. This is a dry Portuguese white made from Moscatel Galego (a Muscat grape) that bursts with floral and ripe tropical fruit notes. It’s crisp and light, offering a hint of that exuberant perfume and fruitiness you’d find in an Alsace Gewürztraminer, but in a refreshing dry style and everyday price.
5. Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg Grand Cru Vendange Tardive
1995 – Field Blend Masterpiece
Approx. Price: ~€150 per bottle.
Rounding out the top five is Marcel Deiss’s 1995 Schoenenbourg Grand Cru Vendange Tardive. Unlike the others, this Alsacia wine is not a single-varietal – true to Jean-Michel Deiss’s philosophy, it’s likely a field blend of varieties (including Riesling and others) from the Schoenenbourg vineyard, one of Alsace’s most esteemed Grand Crus.
This late-harvest 1995 shows the incredible depth a vendange tardive wine can achieve even without being an ultra-sweet SGN. It offers a rich tapestry of flavors: baked apple, quince paste, acacia honey, and hints of smoky minerality from the terroir. The wine is medium-sweet rather than outright dessert-like, with a gorgeous balance of residual sugar and acidity.
By planting mixed grapes together and harvesting late, Marcel Deiss crafted a unique expression of Schoenenbourg that vintage – capturing the vineyard’s essence in one bottle. The rarity of this Grand Cru VT (only a few cases produced) and its singular approach made it a prize for collectors. It proved that not only SGNs but even late-harvest Alsace Grand Cru wines can command high prices when they are this distinctive and age-worthy.
Affordable Alternative: To get a glimpse of Alsatian complexity without breaking the bank, try the This Portuguese Riesling from high-altitude vineyards delivers lively citrus, peach, and mineral notes with bracing acidity. It’s not a sweet wine, but it does echo the refreshing acidity and subtle fruit of an Alsace Riesling (like those Marcel Deiss blends often include). Consider it a wallet-friendly way to enjoy a crisp, terroir-driven white that channels some spirit of Alsace.
By exploring these five wines, we see how Alsacia wine can reach incredible heights of quality and price. From opulent vendange tardive Rieslings to ultra-rare SGN Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer, Alsace’s finest bottles are truly in a league of their own.
They represent the perfect storm of great terroir, noble grape varieties, and passionate winemaking. While most of us may never taste these record-breaking legends, the affordable alternatives above let any wine lover experience a delightful slice of Alsace character. Cheers to discovering your own Alsacia wine treasure – sans the auction price!
