1966 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port’s 1966 wine page. Read on for our summary of the vintage, our top recommendations and region reports, or scroll down to explore all available wines.
The 1966 vintage is widely regarded as one of the standout years of the twentieth century, delivering exceptional quality across several key regions. In Bordeaux, the vintage produced structured and long-lived wines that have now developed into beautifully mature clarets with depth and complexity. In Italy, the best wines from regions such as Piedmont show classic, evolved character, while in Portugal the year is considered outstanding for Port, with most major houses declaring the vintage.
In key regions such as Portugal and Bordeaux, well-stored wines from 1966 are now at a superb stage of maturity. Vintage Ports from this year are particularly sought after, offering richness, balance and remarkable longevity, making them an outstanding choice for a 60th anniversary or birthday gift.
Scroll down to explore our full selection. If you would like personal advice, please call us on 01425 837177 or contact us.
Top Recommendation: Kopke 1966 Colheita Port
A superbly aged single harvest tawny Port from one of the oldest Port houses, offering exceptional depth, balance and complexity. Fully matured in cask and bottled ready to enjoy, this is a standout choice for a 60th anniversary gift.
Best Value: Rivesaltes 1966
A wonderfully mature fortified wine offering excellent value for a 60-year-old vintage. Long ageing has created rich notes of dried fruits, caramel and spice, making it a delicious and accessible alternative to Port.
Vintage Port Choice: Messias Cachão 1966 Vintage Port
A rare and prestigious Vintage Port from Messias’ flagship Cachão vineyard, offering impressive concentration, structure and depth. Now fully mature, it delivers complex flavours of dark fruit, spice and cedar, making it a superb choice for collectors and special occasions.
Classic Italian Choice: Barbaresco Lionello Cordoni 1966
A mature Barbaresco showing classic Nebbiolo character, with developed notes of dried cherry, leather, herbs and earthy spice. Now fully evolved, it offers elegance, savoury complexity and a beautifully refined drinking experience at over 50 years of age.
Fine & Rare Selection: Château d’Yquem 1966 Sauternes
A legendary sweet wine from one of Bordeaux’s most iconic estates, offering extraordinary complexity, honeyed richness and remarkable longevity.
This Year in History: Fun Fact: The Beatles play their last conventional live concert in Britain, at the Empire Pool (Wembley) on the bill alongside The Rolling Stones and The Who.
Eurovision Winner: Austria with the song "Merci Cherie" by Udo Jurgens
Top Grossing Movie: The Bible
France: 1966 was a very good vintage in Bordeaux, producing structured wines that have matured into elegant and long-lived examples.
Read full Bordeaux vintage report
The 1966 vintage in Bordeaux was initially characterised by firm tannins and relatively high acidity, giving the wines a structured and somewhat austere profile in their youth. Over time, however, these elements have softened and integrated, allowing the wines to evolve into more approachable and harmonious expressions.
Today, many 1966 Bordeaux wines display classic mature characteristics, including notes of cedar, tobacco, leather and gentle dark fruit, with softened tannins and balanced acidity. The vintage is particularly noted for its longevity, with well-stored examples continuing to offer a refined and enjoyable drinking experience.
The best wines from leading châteaux — such as Latour and Palmer — remain in excellent condition and are still drinking at or near their peak, with the structure to continue evolving for years to come. Other well-kept Bordeaux from the vintage can also provide very good drinking, offering a traditional and elegant style of mature claret.
In Sauternes, 1966 also produced some excellent wines, with favourable conditions allowing for good ripeness and concentration. At full maturity, these wines show rich, honeyed notes alongside dried apricot, marmalade and spice, balanced by freshness that keeps them lively and complex even after many decades.
Overall, 1966 is regarded as a reliable and rewarding Bordeaux vintage, where quality and provenance remain key to selecting bottles that are drinking well today.
Italian: 1966 was a good vintage for Italy, particularly in regions such as Piedmont and Tuscany, where the best wines have matured into elegant and characterful examples.
Read full Italy vintage report
The 1966 vintage in Italy produced some very successful wines, especially in northern and central regions. In Piedmont, conditions were favourable for Nebbiolo, resulting in structured wines with the balance and acidity needed for long-term ageing. These wines have now evolved into classic mature examples, showing developed notes of dried cherry, leather, tar and earthy spice, with softened tannins and a refined, savoury profile.
In Tuscany, the vintage also performed well, with traditional Sangiovese-based wines developing into elegant and fully mature styles. While not as powerful as the greatest vintages, the best examples offer charm and balance, with flavours of dried red fruits, herbs and subtle spice.
At over 50 years of age, the finest Italian wines from 1966 are best appreciated for their tertiary complexity and finesse rather than fruit intensity. Wines such as Barolo and Brunello from respected producers can still be drinking well today, offering a distinctive and rewarding experience for those who enjoy fully mature wines.
Overall, 1966 is considered a reliable and enjoyable Italian vintage, where careful selection and good provenance are key to finding bottles that continue to show well.
Portugal: 1966 is widely regarded as one of the finest post-war vintages in Portugal, producing exceptional Vintage Ports of great longevity and balance.
Read full Portugal vintage report
The 1966 vintage in Portugal is considered outstanding, with most of the major Port houses declaring the year. Although it was long overshadowed by the legendary 1963 vintage, it is now widely recognised as one of the very best post-war years for Vintage Port.
The wines from 1966 are characterised by their structure, balance and remarkable longevity. In their youth they showed firm tannins and concentration, but with extended ageing they have developed into beautifully integrated and complex wines. Today, the best examples display rich flavours of dark fruits, spice, chocolate and dried fig, alongside refined notes of leather and cedar.
One of the defining features of the 1966 vintage is its ability to age gracefully over many decades. Well-stored bottles remain in excellent condition and continue to offer depth, balance and freshness, with many expected to outlast their 1963 counterparts and evolve further in the years ahead.
Overall, 1966 stands as a benchmark Vintage Port year, producing wines of exceptional quality that make an outstanding and meaningful choice for a 60th anniversary or birthday gift.
64 products found.
Raboso, 1966
Ponte di Pieve
This mature Raboso displays a deep ruby-red colour with garnet highlights, reflecting over fifty years of careful ageing. On the nose, it offers aromas of dried red cherries, plum, gentle spice, and subtle earthy notes of leather and forest floor. The palate is smooth and harmonious, with softened tannins supporting flavours of stewed red fruits, hints of orange zest, and delicate forest floor nuances. The finish is long, elegant, and balanced, showcasing the wine’s depth, finesse, and classic Venetian character.
Decanting: Stand the bottle upright for 2–3 days prior to opening to allow any sediment to settle. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Recioto, 1966
Biscardo, Spumante, Sweet Sparkling Red Wine
"Recioto," as in "Recioto della Valpolicella," refers to a dessert wine made from grapes that were dried on mats after picking. This process turns the grapes closer to raisins, concentrating the flavours. The wines are lovely and taste how you'd expect raisins-turned-wine to taste, rich and sweet.
Stand the bottle upright for 2–3 days prior to opening to allow any sediment to settle. Decant slowly and carefully through a fine strainer, allowing 1–2 hours of gentle aeration before serving at 16–18°C. A fragile cork is very common with older bottles, where the wine has been in prolonged contact with the cork over many decades. …
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Taittinger, 1966
New
Comte de Champagne, Champagne
Amongst Champagne's luxury cuveés and super-premium labels, Taittinger's wines live on one extreme end of the style spectrum. While many top Champagnes can be quite difficult to approach in their youth, with laser-like focus and delineation, even austerity, Taittinger instead tends to be immediately open and welcoming. These are beautiful, delicious Champagnes, with bubbles lazily winding their way up to the surface, inviting you to take another sip.
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Price: £595.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Taylor Fladgate, 1966
Vintage Port- Oporto bottled
The 1966 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port is a distinguished wine from an exceptional vintage. This port exhibits an intense ruby colour and an elegant, fresh nose with floral notes reminiscent of violets. On the palate, it offers a harmonious balance of intense fruit flavours, notably figs, supported by a well-structured mineral and tannic framework. The wine maintains a refreshing quality, with flavours that persist through a long finish. Notably, it still possesses the potential for further aging, indicating years of great life ahead.
Critics have praised this vintage for its elegance and complexity. …
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Price: £369.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Taylor Fladgate, 1966
Vintage Port Plain Label
The 1966 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port is a distinguished wine from an exceptional vintage. This port exhibits an intense ruby colour and an elegant, fresh nose with floral notes reminiscent of violets. On the palate, it offers a harmonious balance of intense fruit flavours, notably figs, supported by a well-structured mineral and tannic framework. The wine maintains a refreshing quality, with flavours that persist through a long finish. Notably, it still possesses the potential for further aging, indicating years of great life ahead.
Critics have praised this vintage for its elegance and complexity. …
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Price: £325.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Warre's Vintage Port, 1966
Vintage Port Plain Label
Warre’s Vintage Port 1966 is another classic from a strong declared vintage and represents the house’s elegant, understated style beautifully. The 1966 vintage overall produced structured, balanced Ports with great ageing potential, and Warre’s offering from that year has long been admired for its finesse, complexity, and gentle maturity.
By now, Warre 1966 has taken on a deep amber-tawny hue with brick-orange highlights. On the nose, it shows wonderfully evolved aromas — think dried fruits (figs, dates, and cherries), orange peel, walnuts, leather, and subtle spices like cinnamon and clove. …
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Price: £265.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau de Vaurenard, 1966
Thorin - Royal
Beaujolais is an important wine region of eastern France, famous for its vibrant, fruity red wines made from Gamay. It is located immediately south of Burgundy, of which it is sometimes considered to be a part, despite being within the Rhone administrative region.** Please note that this wine is part of a clearance offer and therefore is excluded from our guarantee**
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Price: £59.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Chianti, 1966
Brolio - Ricaoli - MAGNUM BOTTLE OF 1,75 LITERS
This rare Chianti Magnum displays a deep ruby colour with garnet highlights, reflecting over fifty years of careful ageing. On the nose, it offers aromas of dried cherries, plum, gentle spice, leather, and subtle earthy notes. The palate is smooth, harmonious, and well-balanced, with softened tannins carrying flavours of stewed red fruits, hints of orange zest, and delicate forest floor nuances. The finish is long, elegant, and refined, showcasing the wine’s depth, finesse, and classic Sangiovese character.
Decanting: Stand the Magnum upright for 2–3 days prior to opening to allow any sediment to settle. …
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Price: £189.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Cotes du Rhone, 1966
Blaceret Selection Beaujolaise
Côtes du Rhône is a huge appellation in the south of France encompassing 40,300 ha. Plenty of white and rosé wine is produced in Côtes du Rhône but there can be no doubt that red is king. Usually Grenache will dominate the blend (except in the north where Syrah is allowed to be top dog, but these wines are relatively few) and is normally partnered with Syrah and/or Mourvèdre but a further 18 varieties are also permitted! A cheerful example might be light, soft, fruity and easy-drinking, while the finest examples may be full-bodied, concentrated, intense, spicy and ageworthy. But what they all invariably have in common is a fabulous sense of place and lashings of personality and character. …
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Price: £139.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Fonseca Port, 1966
Vintage Port
Plain label | Rewaxed
Fonseca Vintage Port 1966
The 1966 vintage is one of the most celebrated in Port history, producing wines of great richness, structure and longevity. Fonseca’s 1966 stands today as a magnificent expression of both the vintage and the house’s opulent, fruit-driven style.
In the glass, it shows a deep amber-tawny core with mahogany and olive reflections, revealing its long bottle ageing. The nose is powerful yet refined, offering layers of dried black cherry, fig, raisin and orange peel, followed by notes of cocoa, spice, liquorice, polished wood and subtle floral lift.
On the palate, the wine is wonderfully concentrated but beautifully balanced. …
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Price: £325.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Janneau, 1966
Armagnac 1966 Vintage Armagnac
The 1966 Janneau Grand Armagnac is a distinguished single-vintage release from one of France’s most historic Armagnac houses. Aged for 29 years and bottled at 43% ABV, this spirit exemplifies Janneau’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship and long-term maturation. Produced in the heart of the Armagnac region, Janneau is renowned for its meticulous distillation and aging processes, which contribute to the depth and complexity of their vintage expressions.
On the nose, this Armagnac offers a bouquet of pleasant and lovely aromas, inviting the taster into its rich profile. The palate is characterized by a rich sensation, highlighting the concentration of dry plums and a persistent flavor of rancio and spices. …
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Price: £325.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Rosso Montero, 1966
Alfonso del Sordo
This historic Rosso Montero comes from Alfonso del Sordo, a producer known for crafting expressive, age-worthy red wines from traditional Italian varieties. The wine displays a deep ruby-red colour with garnet highlights, reflecting over fifty years of careful maturation. On the nose, it reveals aromas of dried red cherries, plum, gentle spice, leather, and subtle earthy nuances. The palate is smooth and harmonious, with softened tannins carrying flavours of stewed red fruits, hints of orange zest, and delicate forest floor notes. The finish is long, elegant, and balanced, showcasing the wine’s depth, finesse, and classic Italian red character. …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Sandeman, 1966
Vintage Port
Sandeman, 1966 Vintage Port
The 1966 vintage is widely regarded as one of the finest declarations of the 1960s. A warm, dry summer in the Douro allowed the grapes to ripen fully, producing wines of exceptional concentration, balance and longevity. Many of the great Port houses declared the vintage, and the resulting wines have developed beautifully over decades in bottle.
Sandeman’s 1966 Vintage Port shows the elegance and refinement for which the house is known. With extended bottle age, the wine develops a complex and layered bouquet of dried blackberry, plum and fig, intertwined with notes of walnut, cedarwood, tobacco and warm spice. …
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Price: £219.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Warre's Vintage Port, 1966
Vintage Port
Warre’s Vintage Port 1966 is another classic from a strong declared vintage and represents the house’s elegant, understated style beautifully. The 1966 vintage overall produced structured, balanced Ports with great ageing potential, and Warre’s offering from that year has long been admired for its finesse, complexity, and gentle maturity.
By now, Warre 1966 has taken on a deep amber-tawny hue with brick-orange highlights. On the nose, it shows wonderfully evolved aromas — think dried fruits (figs, dates, and cherries), orange peel, walnuts, leather, and subtle spices like cinnamon and clove. …
more >>>
Price: £295.00
Stock: Out of Stock