Top 5 Most Expensive Sherry Wine
Sherry wine has long been prized as a fortified wine from Spain's Andalusia wine region. Collectors pay astounding sums for the oldest and rarest bottles. Below we profile the top five most expensive sherry wine examples in the world.
Each of these exclusive bottles commands a sky-high price. We also suggest a more affordable sherry wines alternative from Garrafeira da Ilha for each – so you can taste similar magic without the massive splurge. Let's uncork these legendary dessert wine and dry sherry gems!
1. Barbadillo Reliquia Amontillado Sherry Wines
Why It's So Expensive: This ultra-rare Amontillado is a century-old Andalusia wine treasure. Only about 80 bottles are released worldwide each year, packaged in elegant half decanters. The wine itself is incredibly concentrated from over 100 years of aging in Barbadillo's historic cellars. It offers intense nutty, dried citrus and oak flavors with an endless finish.
With such tiny supply and immense age, it's no surprise a bottle of Barbadillo Reliquia Amontillado sells for nearly $800. This dry sherry wine is truly a once-in-a-lifetime tasting experience for those who can afford it. Every sip tells a story of history, complexity, and rarity in this fortified wine.
Affordable Sherry Wine Alternative: Justino's Madeira 10 Years Sercial
Instead of spending a fortune, you can try a fortified wine with a similar nutty profile. Justino's 10-year Sercial is a dry Madeira aged a decade in cask – much shorter than the Reliquia, but still offering refined nut and oak notes.
This crisp alternative comes from the island of Madeira rather than Jerez, yet it echoes an Amontillado's dry, toasted almond character. Best of all, a 75cl bottle costs around €40, making it an affordable fortified treat. It's a great way to experience a bit of what makes old Amontillado special, at a tiny fraction of the price.
2. Barbadillo Reliquia Palo Cortado Sherry Wines
Why It's So Expensive: Another jewel from Barbadillo's “Reliquia” series, this Palo Cortado is equally ancient and exalted. Palo Cortado is a rare style – a fortified wine that starts under flor like an Amontillado but finishes aging oxidatively like an Oloroso.
Barbadillo's Reliquia Palo Cortado comes from a solera laid down in the mid-1800s. It is extremely limited and has achieved legendary status. In fact, it was one of the first sherry wines to ever earn a perfect 100-point score from critics.
The flavor is dry yet profoundly rich: think hazelnut, bitter orange peel, sea salt, and polished wood. Fewer than 100 bottles a year reach the market, each priced around $750 or more. Such pedigree and scarcity secure its place among the most expensive sherry wines on the planet.
Affordable Sherry Wines Alternative: Justino's Madeira 10 Years Verdelho
As a budget-friendly stand-in, consider the 10-year Verdelho from Madeira. This affordable sherry wines alternative shares some traits with Palo Cortado – medium dry sweetness, tangy acidity, and a woody finish. Justino's 10 Years Verdelho offers layered flavors of golden raisins, toasted nuts, and spice, reminiscent of a fine Palo Cortado but at a much younger age.
It delivers plenty of complexity as a fortified wine for about €40. Sip it slowly after dinner and enjoy a hint of the sophistication that an old Palo Cortado sherry provides, without breaking the bank.
3. Barbadillo Reliquia Pedro Ximénez Sherry Wines
Why It's So Expensive: The third member of Barbadillo's Reliquia lineup is a Pedro Ximénez (PX) – a dessert wine of unbelievable intensity. Made from sun-dried PX grapes, this dark, syrupy sherry wine has been aged for generations in massive barrels called “toneles.”
It bristles with decadent flavors: figs, molasses, espresso, and date syrup, all balanced by surprisingly vibrant acidity from its long maturation. With an average age over 80 years, Reliquia PX is so concentrated that one tiny sip fills the palate completely.
Such an extraordinary sweet fortified wine commands around $600+ per bottle retail. It is a benchmark for PX sherries, coveted by collectors worldwide for its richness and rarity.
Affordable Sherry Wine Alternative: Justino's Madeira 10 Years Malvasia
PX sherries are very sweet, and a great inexpensive parallel is a 10-year Malvasia (Malmsey) Madeira. Justino's 10 Years Malvasia is a dessert wine that offers notes of caramel, dried fruits, and honeyed sweetness, much like an aged PX.
It's lusciously sweet but with Madeira's signature balanced acidity, making it delightful rather than cloying. A full bottle costs roughly €40, a tiny sum next to the Reliquia PX's price tag.
This affordable fortified option allows you to enjoy a velvety-sweet after-dinner drink with echoes of PX sherry's flavor profile. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream or sip it alongside dark chocolate for a luxurious treat.
4. AR Valdespino “Toneles” Moscatel Sherry Wine
Why It's So Expensive: Valdespino's Moscatel Toneles is often cited as one of the most intense wines ever made. Sourced from a single ancient cask (large cask) of Moscatel, this fortified wine aged for well over 80 years in solitude. Locals in Jerez whisper about its almost mythical status.
The Moscatel grapes yield a dark mahogany nectar packed with flavors of raisins, roasted coffee, spices, and toffee. Despite the extreme sweetness, the decades in wood have endowed it with piercing acidity that keeps it lively.
Fewer than 100 half-bottles are drawn from the cask each year. It's been awarded a perfect score by sherry connoisseurs for its unparalleled complexity. Given its minuscule supply, a bottle of Moscatel Toneles sells for around $500. This is a dessert wine of legendary reputation and price to match.
Affordable Sherry Wine Alternative: Justino's Madeira 10 Years Boal
To sample something similar in style without the hefty cost, try a 10-year Boal Madeira. Boal (Bual) is a medium-sweet fortified wine that offers a bridge between rich sweetness and tangy backbone – much like an aged Moscatel. Justino's 10 Years Boal brings flavors of candied orange, caramel, and toasted nuts, with a balancing citrus zest on the finish. It's an affordable sherry wine alternative at approximately €40.
While it can't replicate the profound concentration of Toneles Moscatel, this Boal is a delicious introduction to the harmony of sweetness and acidity that defines great old dessert sherries. Pour a glass to accompany fruitcake, cheeses, or simply good conversation.
5. Emilio Hidalgo “Santa Ana 1861” Pedro Ximénez Sherry Wine
Why It's So Expensive: Rounding out the list is a spectacular PX sherry from Bodegas Emilio Hidalgo. The “Santa Ana 1861” comes from a solera started in the year 1861 – meaning some fraction of the wine has been in cask since the mid-19th century.
This PX is a dessert wine masterpiece, nearly black in color and viscous in texture. Despite its great age (well over 100 years average), it surprises tasters with its freshness and elegance. You'll taste layers of fig jam, walnut, dark chocolate, and date syrup, all unfolding smoothly without excessive heaviness. It's a very limited bottling made by hand, often in short supply.
At about $350–$400 per bottle, Santa Ana 1861 PX is slightly more “accessible” in price than the Reliquia series, yet still among the costliest sherry wines out there. It represents the pinnacle of what a classic Andalusia wine can achieve in terms of depth and sweetness.
Affordable Sherry Wine Alternative: Justino's Madeira Malvasia Harvest 1997
If you desire a taste of antique PX character without spending hundreds, a terrific option is a mature Madeira Colheita. Justino's Malvasia Colheita 1997 is a single-harvest sweet Madeira aged in oak since 1997 – over 25 years. It delivers rich toffee, fig, and roasted nut flavors akin to an aged PX, with an uplifting acidity from the Madeira style. This fortified wine costs about €60, making it a bit more premium than the 10-year Madeiras but still vastly more affordable than Santa Ana 1861. Pour a small glass after dinner and savor its long, warming finish. It's a budget-friendly way to enjoy some of the complexity that defines an old Pedro Ximénez sherry wine, proving you don't need to spend a fortune to indulge in a luxurious dessert wine experience.
The five sherry wines above are the most expensive sherry wine bottlings in the world – authentic liquid history with prices to match their rarity. Thankfully, you can explore similar flavor profiles through more affordable fortified wines available at Garrafeira da Ilha. From dry nutty styles to sweet dessert wine delights, there's a budget alternative for every taste. Sherry lovers can thus raise a glass of something special without overspending. Enjoy the world of sherry wine – whether in its most exclusive form or through a clever, delicious substitute – and toast to the centuries of craft and tradition in each bottle. Cheers!
