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.
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. 1961 wines make and incredible 64 year old wine gift for a birthday or anniversary.
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.
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8 products found.
Dow's, 1961
Late Bottled Vintage Port
Bottled 1965
Learn more about Dow’s
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Price: £445.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Fonseca Port, 1961
Guimaraens Vintage Port Library release from Fonseca cellars Oporto
Rare Bottles of Fonseca Single Quinta Vintage Port obtained directly from the Fonseca Cellars in Oporto
Tasting note: Core of deep tawny brown with a broad amber rim. Beautifully mature and seductive nose, full of rich figgy plum pudding aromas and hints of butterscotch and fine caramel. Ripe fruity notes of apricot and plum emerge with time, followed by discreet nuances of spice and new oak. On the palate the wine coats the tongue with its dense velvety texture and warm mellow flavours which persist into the long finish. A wonderfully mature and complex wine, now absolutely at its peak, displaying the characteristic Fonseca opulence to an extraordinary degree. …
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Price: £695.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Graham's Port, 1961
1961 Grahams Single Harvest - The Master
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: 1 in Stock
Graham's Port, 1961
Malvedos Crusted Port
Unlabelled
In neck
A very rare single quinta crusted port from Graham's.
Graham's owns Quinta dos Malvedos an historic estate in a prime location. In the past their estate ports was produced this Crusted, an unusual and unique traditional Port wine style. Port Crusted is a batch of full-bodied wines that age in large wooden casks, two years for this Grahams, then are bottled unfiltered and remain in the cellar for a few years before being released to the market.
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Price: £485.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Graham's Port, 1961
Malvedos Crusted Port
High Shoulder Level
Rewaxed
A very rare single quinta crusted port from Graham's.
Graham's owns Quinta dos Malvedos an historic estate in a prime location. In the past their estate ports was produced this Crusted, an unusual and unique traditional Port wine style. Port Crusted is a batch of full-bodied wines that age in large wooden casks, two years for this Grahams, then are bottled unfiltered and remain in the cellar for a few years before being released to the market.
Learn more about Graham’s
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Price: £495.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Krohn Port, 1961
Vintage Port - Library release from Krohn cellars
Tasting note: Tawny brown of medium intensity and a narrow amber rim. The nose of this wine is sumptuous in its richness and complexity. The undercurrent of creamy butterscotch aroma is overlaid with notes of vanilla and raisin, a discreet fragrance of violets and pungent resiny scents of garigue. The palate is round and velvety, finishing with a surge of rich caramel flavour. A seductive Vintage Port, one of the best examples from this year.
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Price: £495.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Taylor Fladgate, 1961
Colheita Single Harvest Port
Includes Taylor's oak gift box
Taylor’s has an extensive and enviable library of very old Ports and this very limited 60 year old Single Harvest Port which represents the cream of their aged reserves.
Only 3,000 bottles of this phenomenal Port have been released. Nestled in a beautifully illustrated box, we think this limited-edition Port is the ultimate 60th anniversary gift. Or, with its fabulously festive flavour profile, it may well be the perfect Christmas Port.
The cool Taylor’s Cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia are home to one of the most extensive collections of very old Port casks anywhere in the world. Tucked away are a selection of Single Harvest Ports with an immense capacity to age and develop. …
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Price: £365.00
Stock: 7 in Stock
Warre's Vintage Port, 1961
Vintage Port (Late Bottled)
A rare bottle of vintage Port from Warre showing the characteristics of the 1961 vintage.
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Price: £449.00
Stock: 1 in Stock