1971 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations:

Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port's 1971 wine page. Read on for our summary of the 1971 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 1971 vintage had some definite high points, albeit matched by some lows. In France, the vintage for Bordeaux was reasonably good; however, the year was sublime for Sauternes. Both Burgundy and Champagne also enjoyed excellent years, as did the Rhône, Loire and Alsace. In Italy, the vintage was also very good for Piedmont and particularly Tuscany, which saw the advent of some notable Super Tuscans, specifically Tignanello. Any of these wines would make a fabulous 55 year old wine gift for an Anniversary or birthday.
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: Fun Facts: The United Kingdom became the sixth nation successfully to launch a satellite into orbit using its own launch vehicle, the Prospero (X-3) experimental communications satellite (built at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough), using a Black Arrow carrier rocket from Woomera Launch Area 5 in South Australia.
Eurovision Winner: Monaco with the song "Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue" by Severine
Top Grossing Movie: Diamonds Are Forever
Bordeaux: 1971 was a very good wine vintage, whose only failing was to be overshadowed by the outstanding 1970 vintage. The crop size of the 1971 vintage was very small making wines of this year a rarity. Well-stored examples of wine are likely to remain mature for a few more years. Sweet wines such as Sauternes and Barsac were outstanding in this year and will last for many decades to come.
Italian: Considered to be one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century for Italian wine, excellent growing conditions during 1971 produced a small crop of rich, full bodied wines that have aged gracefully and will last for many years. These wines would make an excellent 50 year old wine gift for a birthday or anniversary. In Piedmont, Barolo and Barbaresco are outstanding with a high level of consistency. In Tuscany, the best results were in Chianti where this year was officially rated a 5-star vintage. Many of the wines have shown exceptional ageing qualities. It was also a good vintage for Brunello. A 1971 Italian wine would be our recommendation for a superb 54 year old wine gift for a special anniversary or birthday.
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86 products found.
Chateau Boyd-Cantenac, 1971
Cantenac Margaux 3rd Growth Classification
This wine has a crisp sage and onion spiciness and silky leathery tannins. Crisp, intense, soft and fragrant, very dry
Drink now.
About Chateau Boyd-Cantenac Since the early 1930s, Boyd Cantenac has been owned by the Guillemet family who also run the nearby Chateau Pouget. The proprietor actually resides at Chateau Pouget since there is no official chateau at Boyd Cantenac, and the wines are vinified and cellared in a warehouse adjoining Pouget. Despite this arrangement, the wines of Boyd Cantenac are always produced with an overriding sense of attention to detail.
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Price: £99.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateau Giscours, 1971
Margaux 3rd Growth Classification
The 1971 Château Giscours is a fully mature Third Growth Margaux, offering a rare glimpse into Bordeaux’s past. While the 1971 vintage was not considered a landmark year, Giscours has aged remarkably well, developing a complex and nuanced profile that will appeal to those who appreciate older wines.
Now over 50 years old, this wine displays a deep garnet hue with slight bricking at the edges. The aromas are rich and layered, featuring black fruit, dark chocolate, herbs, and earthy undertones. On the palate, it retains elegance and balance, with a refined texture and softened tannins, though some tasters note a slightly rustic finish. …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateau Haut Brion, 1971
Pessac Leognan 1er Grand Cru Classe (High Shoulder - Small nick to the label)
The 1971 Haut Brion is one of the stand-out wines from the mediocre 1971 vintage - This well-stored bottle should be no exception. Reviewers have consistently noted that the wine is still in the plateau of its maturity having structure and complexity with a good core of fruit.
About Chateau Haut Brion Château Haut-Brion, located in the illustrious Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux, France, is a legendary estate revered for its unparalleled heritage and commitment to producing wines of extraordinary quality. With a history spanning over five centuries, this historic property has been at the forefront of Bordeaux winemaking, setting the standard for excellence and innovation. …
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Price: £595.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateau La Gurgue, 1971
Margaux
Château La Gurgue, situated in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, has a rich history of producing wines that reflect the elegance and complexity characteristic of the region. The 1971 vintage, while overshadowed by the exceptional 1970, was considered very good, yielding wines that have aged gracefully over the decades.
Specific tasting notes for the 1971 Château La Gurgue are scarce, making it challenging to provide detailed insights into its current profile. However, given the general quality of the 1971 vintage in Bordeaux, it's plausible that well-preserved bottles may exhibit tertiary aromas such as leather, tobacco, and earthy notes, with softened tannins and a harmonious palate. …
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Price: £59.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateauneuf du Pape, 1971
Vins de Proprietaire
The red wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape blossom and reach their prime between their third and fifth year, but their potential for aging is over ten years and more according to the vintage and storage conditions. Their color changes from intense garnet-purple in the early years to ruby after some cellaring. These wines are structured, with powerful and complex aromas of ripe fruit, mushrooms, truffles, underbrush, spicy notes, and wild animals.
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Price: £149.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Gattinara, 1971
Giancarlo Travaglini
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: £99.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Pierre Seguinot, 1971
Grande Champagne Cognac, Cognac
bottled for The Folio Society Ltd
Landed London 1980, bottled London 1991
A rare and distinguished expression, the 1971 Pierre Seguinot from Grande Champagne stands as a testament to time, craftsmanship, and terroir. Distilled over half a century ago, this Cognac reflects the essence of the Premier Cru of Cognac—its chalky soils and long aging potential infuse this spirit with remarkable finesse and depth.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A captivating bouquet of dried apricot, toasted walnuts, orange peel, and fine rancio. Layers of antique oak, beeswax, and old leather reveal themselves gradually, inviting contemplative nosing.
Palate: Silky yet structured. …
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Price: £325.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Rheinhessen, 1971
Niersteiner Riesling Spatlese
A historic Rheinhessen Spätlese Riesling from the Nierstein vineyard, showing the depth and character of long bottle aging.
Deep amber-gold in the glass, with aromas of dried apricot, honey, candied citrus peel, and a hint of classic Riesling petrol that aficionados love.
The palate is soft and off-dry, with flavours of honeyed orchard fruit, tea, and gentle spice, finishing long and warming. A collector’s curiosity — a wine that shows its age beautifully and rewards those who appreciate aged Riesling’s signature personality.
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Price: £34.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Taylor Fladgate, 1971
Colheita Single Harvest Port
Includes Taylor's gift box
Taylor’s has an extensive and enviable library of very old Ports and each year they release a 50 year old Single Harvest Port which represents the cream of their aged reserves.
Often referred to as Colheitas, these single harvest Tawny ports are a far cry from vintage port with very slow and gentle ageing in oak casks creating ports of extreme aromatic complexity with delightfully mellow structure. And the 1970 Port vintage was of one outstanding quality - ideal growing conditions produced what is now a classic vintage - universally declared by all the major port houses.
Every year Taylor’s dip into their extensive cask-aged reserves to unveil an immense 50-year-old Port. …
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Price: £289.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Tokaji, 1971
Szamarodni - 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: £149.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Vouvray, 1971
Vouvray Clos Naudin, Foreau
Sweet White Wine
The 1971 Vouvray has raisin fruit with precise aromas of dried apricots and ripe peaches intertwined with subtly spicy, mineral and chalky notes on the nose. Sweet and superbly harmonious on the highly elegant, silky textured and well concentrated palate, this full-bodied, gorgeously fruit-concentrated.
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Price: £159.00
Stock: Out of Stock