CorkonomicsThe economics of wine production, collection, and vineyards
The numbers
Vineyard land · Pauillac≈$2,798,250 a hectare▼ down 17% on 20232024Opening price · Château Lafite Rothschild 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 17% on the year beforeSold at auction · Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, DRC 2019$22,917 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Burgundy grand cru (Pinot Noir)$48–283US duty on wine from · Canada+50%since Aug 2026Everyday bottle in a US shop$13.77 a litre▼ down 1.3% in a yearSep 2026Vineyard land · Margaux≈$1,567,020 a hectare▼ down 7% on 20232024Opening price · Château Cheval Blanc 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 22% on the year beforeSold at auction · La Tâche Grand Cru, DRC 2018$5,417 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Champagne prestige cuvée$26–89US duty on wine from · Australia+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte-Rôtie≈$1,511,055 a hectare▲ up 8% on 20232024Opening price · Château Mouton Rothschild 2025≈$336 a bottle▲ up 19% on the year beforeSold at auction · Richebourg Grand Cru, DRC 2012$3,542 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Bordeaux classified growth (2nd–5th)$17–61US duty on wine from · New Zealand+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte de Nuits grand cru≈$7,275,450 a hectare2019Opening price · Château Palmer 2025≈$268 a bottle▼ down 19% on the year beforeVineyard land · Pomerol≈$2,238,600 a hectare2023
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Château Cheval Blanc 1990

1990 was an exceptional year in Bordeaux: about as good as it gets.

Save · All vintages of Château Cheval Blanc · Compare

Vineyards (Premier Grand Cru Classé A) near Château Cheval Blanc, Saint-Émilion, France
Richard Semik · Adobe Stock · Adobe Stock Standard License

What to expect

Expect a rich, complete wine that can keep improving for decades.

No year of this wine is rated higher. It shares the top mark with 5 others out of the 32 we cover.

A decanter and a glass of red wine on a white tablecloth in a panelled dining room
The year
Exceptional
Last sold at auction for
$1,458a bottle · Christie's, Jun 2026
How hard to find
Getting scarce36 years old

Other vintages of this wine

One square for each year. The darker the square, the better the weather was for the grapes. Tap a year to read about it.

ExceptionalExcellentVery goodGoodMixedDifficult

What bottles sell for

At auction, standard bottles of this vintage have sold for between $750 and $1,875 each, across 13 sales since February 2023.

Every sale on record35 lots, each linked to the auction house
$500$1,000$1,500$2,000202420252026USD per 75 cl bottle · 2023-02-14 · $1,458USD per 75 cl bottle · 2023-12-11 · $764USD per 75 cl bottle · 2023-12-11 · $859USD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-02-29 · $750USD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-02-29 · $833USD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-02-29 · $833USD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-02-29 · $833USD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-02-29 · $833USD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-12-19 · $990USD per 75 cl bottle · 2025-02-26 · $1,062USD per 75 cl bottle · 2025-06-13 · $1,875USD per 75 cl bottle · 2025-11-05 · $852USD per 75 cl bottle · 2026-06-05 · $1,458USD per bottle: lot price ÷ bottles in the lotSale date13 lots of 75 cl bottles sold in USD at Christie's · prices as published by each house
Sale dateHouse and saleFormatLot pricePer bottle
Jun 2026Christie'sThe Exceptional Private Cellar of a Silicon Valley Pioneer (sale 24554) · New York · lot 12912 × 75 cl$17,500$1,458
May 2026Christie'sThe Remarkable Continental Cellar of the Célérier Family (sale 24812) · London · lot 2692 × 75 cl≈$2,150≈$1,075
May 2026Christie'sFinal Treasures from the Wine Cellar of Andrew Lloyd Webber (sale 24806) · London · lot 12012 × 75 cl≈$24,804≈$2,067
Feb 2026Christie'sThe Historic Cellar of Jürgen Schwarz: Five Decades of Collecting Part II (sale 24460) · Hong Kong · lot 1046 × 75 cl≈$7,168≈$1,195
Dec 2025Christie'sThe Historic Cellar of Jürgen Schwarz: Five Decades of Collecting, Day I (sale 23766) · New York · lot 1581 × 150 cl$3,500$3,500
Nov 2025Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online Featuring The Sierra Cellar (sale 23961) · Los Angeles · lot 8011 × 75 cl$9,375$852
Jul 2025Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online: Hong Kong Edition Featuring The Cellar of a Meticulous Wine Lover Part II (sale 23908) · Hong Kong · lot 855 × 75 cl≈$5,575≈$1,115
Jun 2025Christie'sThe Cellar of William I. Koch: The Great American Collector Day II (sale 24201) · New York · lot 4726 × 75 cl$11,250$1,875
Apr 2025Christie'sTimeless Excellence: The Pristine Wine Collection of Jörg G. Bucherer (sale 24158) · London · lot 11812 × 75 cl≈$13,229≈$1,102
Apr 2025Christie'sTimeless Excellence: The Pristine Wine Collection of Jörg G. Bucherer (sale 24158) · London · lot 11712 × 75 cl≈$13,229≈$1,102
Apr 2025Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online: London Edition (sale 23891) · London · lot 79612 × 75 cl≈$9,922≈$827
Apr 2025Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online: Hong Kong Edition (sale 23907) · Hong Kong · lot 4071 × 75 cl≈$1,035≈$1,035
Feb 2025Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online: LA Edition (sale 23748) · Los Angeles · lot 1032 × 75 cl$2,125$1,062
Dec 2024Christie'sFine and Rare Wines including Vintage Icons from a West Coast Cellar and Historic Port from the Cellars of Raby Castle (sale 23100) · Los Angeles · lot 11612 × 75 cl$11,875$990
Dec 2024Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines & Spirits: Featuring A Superb Family Collection from North America (sale 23191) · Hong Kong · lot 5612 × 75 cl≈$10,353≈$863
Oct 2024Christie'sFine & Rare Wines from a Wine Lover's Impeccable Cellar: Online (sale 23196) · Hong Kong · lot 666 × 75 cl≈$6,371≈$1,062
Jun 2024Christie'sA Legacy Preserved: The Last Treasures of The Avery Collection (sale 23060) · London · lot 2928 × 75 cl≈$14,883≈$1,860
Feb 2024Christie'sBordeaux Classics: The Masterpiece Collection (sale 23255) · Los Angeles · lot 19612 × 75 cl$10,000$833
Feb 2024Christie'sBordeaux Classics: The Masterpiece Collection (sale 23255) · Los Angeles · lot 19512 × 75 cl$10,000$833
Feb 2024Christie'sBordeaux Classics: The Masterpiece Collection (sale 23255) · Los Angeles · lot 19412 × 75 cl$10,000$833
Feb 2024Christie'sBordeaux Classics: The Masterpiece Collection (sale 23255) · Los Angeles · lot 19312 × 75 cl$10,000$833
Feb 2024Christie'sBordeaux Classics: The Masterpiece Collection (sale 23255) · Los Angeles · lot 19210 × 75 cl$7,500$750
Dec 2023Christie'sFine Wine from the Cellar of Quincy Jones and A Diplomat's Collection of Rarities (sale 22106) · Los Angeles · lot 879 × 75 cl$6,875$764
Dec 2023Christie'sFine Wine from the Cellar of Quincy Jones and A Diplomat's Collection of Rarities (sale 22106) · Los Angeles · lot 868 × 75 cl$6,875$859
Nov 2023Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines: Three Stunning Cellars (sale 22123) · Hong Kong · lot 624311 × 75 cl≈$11,150≈$1,014
Jun 2023Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines & Spirits (sale 21936) · London · lot 9603 × 75 cl≈$2,811≈$937
May 2023Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines: Featuring Four Stunning Cellars & Library Vintages Direct From Château Léoville Poyferré (sale 22120) · Hong Kong · lot 526712 × 75 cl≈$12,743≈$1,062
May 2023Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines: Featuring Four Stunning Cellars & Library Vintages Direct From Château Léoville Poyferré (sale 22120) · Hong Kong · lot 501912 × 75 cl≈$11,946≈$996
Apr 2023Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines & Spirits (sale 21934) · London · lot 1487 × 75 cl≈$7,937≈$1,134
Feb 2023Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online: Featuring the Renowned Cellar of an American Collector (sale 21810) · Los Angeles · lot 1183 × 75 cl$4,375$1,458
Nov 2022Christie'sFine and Rare Wines Online: Geneva Edition (sale 20946) · Geneva · lot 1323 × 75 cl≈$3,611≈$1,204
Sep 2022Christie'sThe Treasury: Finest Wines from a Peerless Collection (sale 21095) · London · lot 8512 × 75 cl≈$15,709≈$1,309
May 2022Christie'sFine and Rare Wines & Spirits Online: The Geneva Edit (sale 20939) · Geneva · lot 42412 × 37.5 cl≈$9,027≈$752
Apr 2022Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines (sale 21493) · Hong Kong · lot 34112 × 75 cl≈$13,539≈$1,128
Apr 2022Christie'sFinest and Rarest Wines (sale 21493) · Hong Kong · lot 34012 × 75 cl≈$14,336≈$1,195
Prices are in the currency of each sale. Christie’s and Sotheby’s include the buyer’s fee; Hart Davis Hart shows the price before it.

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What does this wine cost to make?Our estimate: $28–$95 a bottle

We estimate it costs about $28 to $95 to make one bottle of a wine like this. The price in the shop is far higher because the land is scarce, the name is famous, and many hands take a share on the way to you.

Low estimateImputed land cost: $11.34Vineyard operations: $3.31Oak barrels: $0.56Winemaking labour and cellar work: $2.50Cellar aging: $1.20Bottle, closure, label, case and bottling: $4.90Winery overhead: $3.00Financing over the aging period: $1.61$28 per bottleHigh estimateImputed land cost: $43.88Vineyard operations: $10.24Oak barrels: $1.61Winemaking labour and cellar work: $5.00Cellar aging: $2.96Bottle, closure, label, case and bottling: $13.40Winery overhead: $7.00Financing over the aging period: $10.89$95 per bottleImputed land costVineyard operationsOak barrelsWinemaking labour and cellar workCellar agingBottle, closure, label, case and bottlingWinery overheadFinancing over the aging periodUS$ per 75 cl bottle at the winery, before any margin, tax or transport · Corkonomics cost model

See the full breakdown

Sources

  1. Château Cheval Blanc — producer profile, The Wine Cellar Insider, 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2026. typical annual production
Last reviewed: September 2026Report an error on this page