CorkonomicsThe economics of wine production, collection, and vineyards
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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 Palmer 2016

2016 was an exceptional year in Bordeaux: about as good as it gets.

Save · All vintages of Château Palmer · Compare

Château Palmer, Margaux
PA · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What to expect

Wet spring then a dry summer; a large, balanced crop widely rated with 2009 and 2010. 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 4 others out of the 29 we cover.

A glass of red wine on a stone balustrade in front of a country house and vineyards
The year
Exceptional
Price when new
≈$269a bottle, when first offered
Last sold at auction for
≈$265a bottle · Christie's, Oct 2025

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.

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996
ExceptionalExcellentVery goodGoodMixedDifficult

What bottles sell for

At auction, standard bottles of this vintage have sold for between ≈$252 and ≈$292 each, across 4 sales since January 2024.

Every sale on record4 lots, each linked to the auction house
$240$250$260$270$280$290$3002025HKD per 75 cl bottle · 2024-01-29 · $292HKD per 75 cl bottle · 2025-10-26 · $252HKD per 75 cl bottle · 2025-10-26 · $265HKD per 75 cl bottle · 2025-10-26 · $265USD per bottle: lot price ÷ bottles in the lotSale date4 lots of 75 cl bottles sold in USD at Christie's · prices as published by each house · ≈ converted to USD at the 9 Oct 2026 rate
Sale dateHouse and saleFormatLot pricePer bottle
Oct 2025Christie'sA Prodigious Private Cellar of Impeccable Provenance Part II: Online (sale 23825) · Hong Kong · lot 501312 × 75 cl≈$3,026≈$252
Oct 2025Christie'sA Prodigious Private Cellar of Impeccable Provenance Part II: Online (sale 23825) · Hong Kong · lot 501212 × 75 cl≈$3,186≈$265
Oct 2025Christie'sA Prodigious Private Cellar of Impeccable Provenance Part II: Online (sale 23825) · Hong Kong · lot 501112 × 75 cl≈$3,186≈$265
Jan 2024Christie'sA Pristine Contemporary Cellar: Online (sale 22660) · Hong Kong · lot 936 × 75 cl≈$1,752≈$292
 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.

Filter and browse

More about the yearThe harvest, the blend and the first price
Price when new
≈$269stated in the 2018 campaign report: the 2018 price of €240 was 'identical to the 2016 futures'Wine Spectator, 2019-06-18
First US shop price
$314 in 2018Wine Spectator, 2018-05-09
Average US shop price
$365 in 2019Wine Spectator, 2019-06-18
Average US shop price
$384 in 2021Wine Spectator, 2021-05-20
What does this wine cost to make?Our estimate: $17–$61 a bottle

We estimate it costs about $17 to $61 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: $4.35Vineyard operations: $2.54Oak barrels: $0.43Winemaking labour and cellar work: $2.00Cellar aging: $1.04Bottle, closure, label, case and bottling: $3.90Winery overhead: $2.00Financing over the aging period: $0.85$17 per bottleHigh estimateImputed land cost: $25.08Vineyard operations: $6.84Oak barrels: $1.40Winemaking labour and cellar work: $4.00Cellar aging: $2.56Bottle, closure, label, case and bottling: $10.40Winery overhead: $5.00Financing over the aging period: $6.19$61 per bottleImputed land costVineyard operationsOak barrelsWinemaking labour and cellar workCellar agingBottle, closure, label, case and bottlingWinery overheadFinancing over the aging periodUS$ per 75 cl bottle at the winery, before any margin, tax or transport · Corkonomics cost model

See the full breakdown

Last reviewed: September 2026Report an error on this page