1961 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port's 1961 wine page. Read on for our summary of the 1961 vintage, our top recommendations and region reports. Scroll down to see all of our wines currently available. If you cannot find what you are looking for please call us on 01425 837177 or Contact Us. We would love to help you with your wine choice!
The 1961 vintage enjoyed some extraordinary moments, particularly in France. For Bordeaux, the vintage was legendary with great wines produced in Pessac-Léognan, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Pomerol and – although less uniform – Margaux. However, as is often the case when conditions are ripe for perfect Bordeaux, the year was not so conducive for the sweet wines of Sauternes, and they tended to be more of a mixed bag. The year was also excellent for both Burgundy and Beaujolais, as well as Champagne, the Rhône and the Loire Valley. Although information is limited for Alsace, what does exist suggests it was very good. Outside of France, the vintages for both Piedmont and Tuscany were excellent and the best Barolo should still be drinking well now.
Any of these wines would make a fabulous wine gift for a 65th Anniversary or birthday.
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: Fun Fact: The farthing coin, used since the thirteenth century, ceases to be legal tender in the United Kingdom.
Eurovision Winner: Luxembourg with the song "Nous Les Amoureux"
Top Grossing Movie: 101 Dalmations
Bordeaux: This is one of the legendary vintages of the century. Although most of the 1961 wines are now fading slowly, the top examples continue to shine through offering concentrated, ripe fruit with amazing bouquets. The crop was tiny and there are very few examples available. Provided the bottles have been stored correctly these wines should last for another few years.
Italian: In Italy, 1961 is considered to be one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century. The wines from Piedmont (Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera) and Tuscany (Chianti, Brunello) are outstanding. Now fully mature these wines, with careful cellaring, will still keep for many years to come.
Portugal: While not generally a declared year, the hot weather produced some concentrated ports in 1961. The harvest started in extremely hot conditions at the river quinta in early September, progressing in other areas until the end of the month making it a long, drawn out vintage. The picking required a very rigorous selection which entailed picking out the burnt and imperfect grapes from the bunches before putting them in the baskets. This led to a small harvest, making bottles from this year quite rare. Making a great wine gift for any birthday or anniversary, the 1961 ports produced are still drinking well today.
28 products found.
Kopke, 1961
Colheita Port in Gift Box
Exclusive - Just 18 bottles released (worldwide) in 2026.
` Kopke 1961 Colheita Port
One of just 18 bottles released worldwide in 2026 – entirely secured by us
The 1961 Kopke Colheita is an extraordinarily rare single-harvest Port, drawn from casks that have matured for over six decades in the lodges of one of the Douro’s most historic houses.
In 2026, just 18 bottles were selected for release worldwide. We have secured the entire allocation.
This is not simply a rare wine — it is a vanishing fragment of the Douro’s past, preserved in wood for more than half a century and now bottled at its peak. Opportunities to acquire wines of this age, provenance and scarcity — particularly from Kopke — are exceptionally limited, and rarely repeated. …
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Price: £495.00
Stock: 15 in Stock
Aglianico del Vulture, 1961
Riforma Fondiaria - Riserva
Aglianico del Vulture 1961 Riforma Fondiaria Riserva
Vintage & Background
1961 is considered a classic year in Italian wine history, particularly for Nebbiolo and similarly age-worthy grapes. Here, the Aglianico grape—the noble red of Southern Italy—is showing what decades in bottle can do when it comes from volcanic soil on the slopes of Monte Vulture. The “Riserva” designation and “Riforma Fondiaria” name suggest extra care, selection, and ageing; this is a wine made to be savoured with patience.
Appearance & Nose
Given its age, you can expect the wine to show a deep garnet centre, but with rim tones tending more toward tawny, russet, or mahogany. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 5 in Stock
Amarone della Valpolicella, 1961
Bertani
1961 Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella
Vintage & Background
1961 is a well-celebrated Amarone vintage, and Bertani is one of the producers traditionally known for elevating the style with elegance, structure, and ageability. Amarone’s winemaking method, with partially dried grapes (appassimento), gives concentration of flavour, high alcohol, and the potential to age into something complex and beguiling.
Appearance & Nose
In the glass this Amarone shows a deep, strong ruby red colour, though now it may have begun to edge slightly toward garnet or brick around the rim with age. …
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Price: £389.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Banyuls, 1961
Parcé & Fils, Banyuls 1961 - fortified sweet wine
1961 Domaine Parcé & Fils, Banyuls – Fortified Sweet Wine
A superbly mature Vin Doux Naturel from the Parcé family, long regarded as one of Banyuls’ most historic and respected producers. Crafted from Grenache Noir grown on the steep, schist terraces overlooking the Mediterranean, this 1961 vintage captures the depth, warmth, and sea-salted intensity that define great Banyuls.
After fortification to halt fermentation, the wine was aged oxidatively in old casks, allowing it to develop extraordinary richness and complexity over time.
In the glass it shows a deep amber-mahogany hue with glints of copper. …
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Price: £185.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Barbaresco, 1961
Gaja
1961 Gaja Barbaresco
Overview:
A rare and distinguished expression of traditional Barbaresco from one of Piedmont’s most historic estates. The celebrated 1961 vintage produced wines of remarkable structure, perfume and longevity, and this mature Gaja captures the savoury nuance, elegance and complexity that define long-aged Nebbiolo. Produced during a formative period in the estate’s history, it reflects the classical style of Barbaresco before the modern era.
Appearance:
Classic brick-garnet in colour with tawny highlights at the rim, showing graceful maturity and the evolved character expected from long-aged Nebbiolo. …
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Price: £349.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Barbera, 1961
Cantina Zaccone
Barbera 1961 Cantina Zaccone is a historic red wine from Piedmont, Italy, produced by Cantina Zaccone in the Langhe area. Barbera is a traditional Piedmontese grape known for its deep color, lively acidity, and approachable structure, historically vinified in a classic style focused on simplicity, balance, and slow bottle evolution.
The 1961 bottling reflects a mid-20th-century winemaking approach, with aging in large neutral casks and long maturation in bottle, typical of traditional regional production.
Tasting Notes:
Brick-ruby color with garnet and orange reflections. Dried cherry, sour plum, red berries, leather, tobacco, and earthy notes. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Barolo, 1961
Enrico Serafino - Serafino
1961 Barolo – Enrico Serafino
The 1961 vintage stands among the great years of the twentieth century in Piedmont, producing Barolo wines of structure, perfume and exceptional longevity. Enrico Serafino, founded in 1878, is one of the region’s historic houses, long associated with traditional methods that emphasise Nebbiolo’s capacity for graceful ageing. This bottle offers a rare glimpse into Barolo from a celebrated era of classical winemaking.
Tasting Notes:
Now displaying a brick-garnet colour with amber highlights at the rim, the nose is finely evolved and expressive. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal and redcurrant mingle with notes of leather, tobacco leaf and forest floor. …
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Price: £169.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Carema, 1961
Troglia
Carema is a red winemaking zone and boasts the king of Italian red grapes, Nebbiolo, as its leading varietal. The wine must comprise 85% of this variety, the remainder made up of a maximum 15% of authorized Piedmont red grapes. Ageing requirements are 36 months, of which 24 must be in wood, while the riserva must spend an extra six months in oak. Carema is a small mountainous area neighboring the Aosta Valley in the far northern corner of Piedmont, in north-western Italy. This unique viticultural landscape is situated in the province of Turin and was awarded its DOC classification in 1967. Similar to the steep, …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Canon, 1961
St Emilion
Top Shoulder
One of the greatest vintages of the post-war period. This exceptional vintage has the peculiarity of producing a tiny crop of exceptional quality. Indeed, after spring frosts which cut the burden of the grapes by half, grapes of a perfect maturity and exceptional concentration are harvested in a hot and sunny climate.
Clean, brilliant deep ruby-brick with orange rim. Initial nose showed pleasant, complex cedar, plum, violets and leather, with addition of slight cigar box. palate concurrently shows more plummy fruit. The wine is full-bodied, with ample supple tannins and an extremely long finish. …
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Price: £625.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Gazin, 1961
Pomerol
93 Points - Robert Parker
Upper Shoulder
The 1961 Chateau Gazin is an outstanding classic 'left bank Pomerol' from a legendary vintage. Cellar tracker revies give this 93 points. Nose: Classic Pomerol expressions of plum, damson, black cherry, leather, wood smoke, sweet berries and clay. A very engaging nose. Palate: Surprising vigor in the Black Plum, raspberry, ponzu and tobacco on the palate. Great density that has elements of mocha, toffee and spice in the plum fruit. Finish: Good length.
Château Gazin is a prestigious wine estate located in the Pomerol appellation of Bordeaux, France. With a history dating back several centuries, the estate is renowned for producing exceptional red wines. …
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Price: £449.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Chateau Latour, 1961
Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classe Half Bottle (37.5cl) 100 Points - Robert Parker
The 1961 Latour is a wine legend!
Michael Broadbent rated it as one of his rare six-star wines, Robert Parker has consistently given it 100 points. This is a rare half bottle in good condition with a great level.
The 1961 crop was a small one, frost in May having wiped out most of the Merlot. The Latour team took pride in having picked – unlike some other properties – before excessive ripeness set in, allowing a perfectly balanced and appetising wine to be produced. The disastrous conditions in May meant that the crop was very small, and from the outset the château reported that the wines were dark, rich, ripe and incredibly concentrated but perfectly balanced. …
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Price: £1,695.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Montrose, 1961
St Estephe 2nd Growth Classification **** 94 Points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate (NM) **** Bin soiled Labels
Château Montrose is located in the east of St Estèphe (the northern most of the great Médoc communes), just north of the hamlet of Marbuzet, on a gravel knoll only 800 metres from the Gironde estuary. As far as the great wines of Bordeaux go Château Montrose is somewhat of a youngster having been founded in 1815. However this beautiful vineyard has produced one of Bordeaux's most consistent and respected wines for over 150 years. It is considered to be one of the top St Estèphe's and is known as the “Latour of St Estèphe”.
About Chateau Montrose Château Montrose, an illustrious wine estate located in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux, France, is renowned for its exceptional wines and storied history. …
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Price: £545.00
Stock: 5 in Stock
Chianti, 1961
Frescobaldi - Nipozzano
1961 Chianti – Frescobaldi Nipozzano
The 1961 vintage is regarded as one of the classic post-war years in Italy, producing wines of structure and longevity. From the historic Frescobaldi estate, Castello di Nipozzano in the Rufina zone of Chianti, this bottle reflects a period when traditional Tuscan winemaking emphasised balance, acidity and patient ageing. The Frescobaldi family, whose winemaking history dates back over 700 years, has long been synonymous with quality in Tuscany.
Tasting Notes:
Now deep brick in colour with tawny highlights at the rim, the nose is beautifully mature and complex. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Gattinara, 1961
Luigi Nervi - Riserva Speciale
Gattinara is a red Italian wine produced from Nebbiolo grapes grown within the boundaries of the commune of Gattinara which is located in the hills in the north of the province of Vercelli, northwest of Novara in the Piedmont region. The wine is made from a minimum of 90% Nebbiolo grapes and is renowned for its longevity. Notes: a meaty, chunky wine with a subtle, clean nose. Hints of tar and bark, with undertones of cherries and rose petals. Light tannins.
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Graham's, 1961
Single Harvest Tawny Port-
The Master, from The Cellar Masters Collection
1961 SINGLE HARVEST THE MASTER
Paying homage to three generations of Cellar Masters who shaped itsprolonged ageing, Graham's 1961 Single Harvest Tawny Port embodiesa legacy of timeless tradition and craftsmanship. Emerging in the dawnof the 1960s, an era marked by profound cultural shifts, this wine hasthrived for over six decades in the seasoned oak casks of the Graham's Lodge. Each Cellar Master has left an indelible mark on its character, imparting an extraordinary depth and balance. In this edition, Head Winemaker and Master Blender, Charles Symington, unveils the meticulously chosen cask for limited release under The Master label, an exquisite testament to the Cellar Master's Trilogy collection. …
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Price: £1,195.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Krohn Port, 1961
Vintage Port
Clearance Offer - High Shoulder level - Rewaxed
Was £495 | Now £345
Excluded from our guarantee
Vintage & Background
1961 was not a widely declared vintage in the Douro, but some houses produced outstanding Ports with longevity and elegance. Krohn, a producer long respected for both Colheitas and classic Vintage Ports, crafted a wine that has stood the test of time. This bottling, released directly from Krohn’s own cellars as a library release, offers impeccable provenance and a rare opportunity to experience a perfectly matured 1961 Port.
Appearance & Nose
The colour has evolved into deep tawny at the rim with a garnet core, showing its six decades of age. On the nose, aromas of figs, dates, and raisins emerge first, followed by notes of walnuts, cedar, dried rose petals, tobacco, and subtle spice. …
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Price: £345.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Rioja, 1961
Faustino I, Gran Reserva
Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja 1961
The 1961 vintage is one of the most legendary in Rioja’s history, producing wines of extraordinary longevity, elegance and complexity. Faustino I Gran Reserva stands today as a true icon of mature Spanish fine wine.
In the glass, it shows a pale garnet core with pronounced amber and brick hues at the rim, reflecting its long and graceful evolution. The bouquet is intensely complex and refined, offering aromas of dried strawberry, cherry and fig, layered with notes of leather, tobacco, cedar, polished wood, spice, and subtle hints of balsamic and orange peel. …
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Price: £295.00
Stock: 11 in Stock
Rioja, 1961
Bodegas Riojanas, Monte Real Reserva
Remains of labels
Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Reserva 1961 – Rioja
The 1961 Monte Real Reserva from Bodegas Riojanas is a beautifully mature and highly evocative example of traditional Rioja, offering elegance, subtle complexity and classic charm after more than six decades of ageing. The colour has faded to a pale garnet with pronounced amber and brick tones at the rim, reflecting its long and graceful evolution.
The nose is delicate, refined and wonderfully expressive. Aromas of dried cherry, redcurrant and plum skin are layered with leather, tobacco, old wood, vanilla and gentle coconut from extended American oak ageing. …
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Price: £145.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Salento, 1961
Ruffino Rosso, Puglia
Sweet Red Wine
Salento is in the region of Puglia on the heel of Italy. The Ruffino is a fortified wine made predominantly from the primitivo grape. The wine has a liquorice and spice bouquet, a mediaum body and a long alcoholic finish.
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Price: £189.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Salento, 1961
Bianco, Ruffino, Puglia
Sweet White Fortified Wine
Salento is in the region of Puglia on the heel of Italy. The Ruffino is a fortified wine made predominantly from the primitivo grape. The wine has a liquorice and spice bouquet, a mediaum body and a long alcoholic finish.
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Price: £195.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sichel & Fils Frères, 1961
Vosne-Romanée "Les Malconsorts"
1961 Vosne-Romanée “Les Malconsorts” – Sichel & Fils Frères
The 1961 vintage in Burgundy is remembered as one of the outstanding post-war years, producing wines of structure, concentration and impressive longevity. From the celebrated village of Vosne-Romanée, and the highly regarded Premier Cru vineyard “Les Malconsorts,” this bottling by Sichel & Fils Frères represents a rare opportunity to experience mature Pinot Noir from a distinguished terroir.
“Les Malconsorts,” situated adjacent to some of Vosne-Romanée’s most revered Grand Cru sites, is known for producing wines of depth, finesse and layered complexity — characteristics that reveal themselves fully with extended bottle age. …
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Price: £295.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Spanna, 1961
Luigi Nervi
This Spanna from 1961 shows a deep garnet-red colour with brick-orange edges. The nose opens with dried cherries, rose petal, gentle spice, and tertiary notes of leather, tobacco, and forest floor. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with refined, silky tannins carrying flavours of stewed red fruits, subtle cocoa, and hints of truffle, finishing long, elegant, and balanced.
Decanting: Stand upright for 2–3 days to allow sediment to settle. Decant carefully through a fine strainer and aerate 1–2 hours before serving at 16–18°C. Fragile corks are common; filter any fragments when pouring.
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Price: £139.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Tokaji, 1961
Export Monimpex (Half litre, 50cl)
Hungary’s most famous dessert wine is Tokaji the legendary sweet elixir. It can only be spoken in the superlative about this wine, as it is a medicine, a real nectar. The name Tokaji (which is of Protected Designation of Origin) is used for labeling wines from this wine district. The location of the region has a unique climate, beneficial to this particular viniculture, due to the protection of the nearby mountains, long warm autumns and mists that come in from the River Bodrog, creating perfect conditions for noble rot. Creating the botrytised ('aszú') grapes for which the region is famous. A wonderful sweet wine from this renowned producer. …
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Price: £225.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau Canon, 1961
St Emilion
High Shoulder
One of the greatest vintages of the post-war period. This exceptional vintage has the peculiarity of producing a tiny crop of exceptional quality. Indeed, after spring frosts which cut the burden of the grapes by half, grapes of a perfect maturity and exceptional concentration are harvested in a hot and sunny climate.
Clean, brilliant deep ruby-brick with orange rim. Initial nose showed pleasant, complex cedar, plum, violets and leather, with addition of slight cigar box. palate concurrently shows more plummy fruit. The wine is full-bodied, with ample supple tannins and an extremely long finish. …
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Price: £425.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1961
Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classe
High Shoulder | Label damaged and bin soiled
** 92 Points Wine Journal ***
Little sign of ageing. A fresh peppermint nose with black tea. Fully mature on the palate with supreme balance. A sublime wine.
Château Lafite Rothschild, situated in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, France, stands as one of the most illustrious wine estates globally, revered for its storied history and exceptional red wines. With a lineage tracing back to the 17th century, the estate's vineyards cover approximately 112 hectares, predominantly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes. Benefitting from gravelly soils and a maritime climate, Château Lafite Rothschild crafts wines that epitomize the elegance and complexity of Pauillac terroir. …
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Price: £1,795.00
Stock: Out of Stock