1956 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port's 1956 wine page. Read on for our summary of the 1956 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 1956 vintage can be best remembered as unusually disappointing, especially for France. Much of the country saw its coldest recorded year since 1709, and both Bordeaux and Burgundy were struck by devastating frosts, decimating yields. As a result, the wines from most French regions were below average in quality, with the possible exception of the Rhône valley, which enjoyed a comparatively better year. For Italy, however, the 1956 vintage was fantastic, particularly for Barolo, and the best examples should still be drinking well today. A Wine or Port from this year would make an extremely rare 69 year old wine gift for a birthday or anniversary this year.
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: Fun Fact: Eurovision first aired.
Eurovision Winner: Switzerland with the song "Refrain" by Lys Assia. The 1956 Eurovision Song Contest was primarily a radio show, although some cameras were taping the contest for the few Europeans who had a television set at that time.
Top Grossing Movie: The Ten Commandments
Italian: While the rest of Europe suffered poor weather, Italy produced a good vintage. Top regions such as Tuscany and Piedmont produced rich, full bodied wines. The 1956 wines are fully mature but will still make good drinking today, especially long-lived grapes such as Barolo - these would make a great wine gift for a birthday or anniversary this year.
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3 products found.
Toro Albalá, 1956
Don PX Convento Seleccion 1956, Montilla-Moriles | 20cl Bottle - In luxury gift box
Heritage & Format
The 1956 Don PX Convento Selección is a prestigious, single-vintage Pedro Ximénez crafted by Toro Albalá, with grapes aged for nearly six decades in seasoned Amontillado oak butts. In 2014, this extraordinary wine was bottled in small artisan 20 cl “petaca” flasks—a unique collector’s format that reflects the estate’s dedication to traditional craftsmanship and historical legacy.
Aroma & Appearance
Visually, the wine is intensely dark—almost black—with thick, slow-moving legs that reveal its rich texture and age. The nose is deeply expressive, offering layers of fig, caramel, toasted nuts, chocolate, and roasted coffee, all wrapped in sweet spice and a hint of candied citrus. …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: 48 in Stock
Toro Albalá, 1956
Don PX Convento Seleccion 1956, Montilla-Moriles | 75cl Bottle - In luxury gift box
Legacy & Craftsmanship
The Don PX Convento Selección 1956 is one of the crown jewels of Toro Albalá’s cellars—a single-vintage Pedro Ximénez aged for nearly six decades in old oak casks before being released in limited quantities. Bottled in full-size 75 cl format, this wine captures the essence of timeless Spanish winemaking, offering a luxurious experience that reflects both patience and precision. It’s a collector’s item and a testament to the aging potential of this noble grape.
Aroma & Expression
In the glass, it appears as dense as molasses, with a jet-black centre and glints of amber at the rim. …
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Price: £325.00
Stock: 18 in Stock
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1956
Pauillac, 1er Grand Cru classe
Slightly bin soiled label / High Shoulder
The 1956 Château Mouton Rothschild is more of a collector's item due to its rarity and age rather than its inherent quality as a wine. It represents a piece of Bordeaux history, particularly because of the challenges of the vintage. While it may not offer the power and complexity of better Mouton Rothschild vintages, it can still provide an intriguing glimpse into the past of one of the world's most famous wine estates.
The 1956 vintage in Bordeaux was challenging due to a severe frost that devastated many vineyards in the region. This frost significantly reduced yields, particularly affecting some of the vines at Mouton Rothschild. …
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Price: £2,200.00
Stock: 1 in Stock