1973 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: A short summary of the 1973 Vintage with our top recommendations 1973 Wine and Port
The 1973 vintage was generally considered better than the preceding 1972 vintage, but it still wasn't a standout year for Port or wine production in Europe. In Portugal's Douro Valley, the 1973 vintage was not widely declared by Port houses. Some Port houses did produce and release 1973 vintage Ports, but they are generally considered to be of moderate quality as they tend to lack the richness and depth of better vintages. These wines would make a fabulous 52 year old wine gift for an Anniversary or birthday.
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: Television sitcom Last of the Summer Wine begins its first series run on BBC One.The Eurovision Winner was Luxembourg with the song "Tu Te Reconnaitras" by Anne-Marie David. Tom Kerridge, Chef, was born in this year and features on the reality culinary programs MasterChef, Saturday Kitchen, and Great British Menu.
Top Grossing Movie: The Exorcist
Bordeaux: Bordeaux 1973 wines are the product of a cold, wet summer, which was made worse by a rain in late August which bloated the grapes just before harvest. When released they were light, early drinking wines and time has not improved them! If you’re seeking a gift to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, we would recommend a bottle of colheita Port or a 1973 Montilla Moriles.
The 1973 wine vintage produced an enormous crop of easy drinking wines full of succulent fruit. The best examples from vineyards that adopted good selection are still drinking well today, although wines from Pauillac and Graves stand out. The weather was dry and warm throughout most of spring, providing good conditions for flowering. Heavy rain fell during much of July, but the month that followed was hot and dry. September began fine, but wet conditions returned from the middle of the month onwards.
Italian: Only a small crop of 1973 wine was produced in Italy and the wines are now very rare. The growing season was held back by inclement weather in the main Italian wine regions of Piedmont and Tuscany. Tuscany produced a small crop of Brunello and Chianti, generally characterised as having good colour, high acidity and some dryness. The best of the vintage originates from the more southerly regions.
Portugal: 1973 was not declared and very little Port exists from this year. A wet winter followed by an inconsistent summer led to a small crop. In 1973 there was a lack of quality spirit to fortify the grapes resulting in very little Port being made. Remarkably, we discovered a cask of 1973 white colheita Port at Devesa and persuaded them to bottle it exclusively for us.
Shop with Confidence
All of our premium wine gifts are available for fast, immediate delivery directly from our own cellars. With no minimum order required—buy just one bottle or as many as you like!
- Free UK standard delivery on all orders over £100
- Complimentary tasting notes and personalized gift messages—add yours at checkout
- Three-month replacement guarantee for complete peace of mind
- Choose from our exclusive range of luxury gift boxes
- Award-winning retailer: IWC Fortified Wine Merchant of the Year (2024, 2022, 2021)
- 5-Star Trusted Shops rating for exceptional customer satisfaction
58 products found.
Grignolino, 1973
Mascarello Natale fu Maurizio
Special Offer Was £119
Now £69
Offer Ends 30th September
The Grignolino wines have a light ruby red color, tending to orange with aging. Have a characteristic odor and delicate in the mouth are dry, slightly tannic, bitter pleasant, with a characteristic aftertaste.
more >>>
Price: £69.00
Stock: 24 in Stock
Grignolino, 1973
Castello di Gabbiano
The Grignolino wine have a light ruby red color, tending to orange with aging. Have a characteristic odor and delicate in the mouth are dry, slightly tannic, bitter pleasant, with a characteristic aftertaste.
more >>>
Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Grumello, 1973
Pellizzati
Clearance Offer | Was £89 | Now £30
Excluded from our guarantee
Grumello is one of five viticultural sub-zones specifically identified as producing Valtellina wines of particularly high quality: the other four are Inferno, Sassella, Maroggia and Valgella.
Grumello is a sub-zone under Valtellina Superiore DOCG, and the vineyards are named after a castle from the 1300s, that is located between the cities of Sondrio and Montagna in the Valtellina valley. Grumello is not a village but an area immediately east of Sondrio, and covers the slopes immediately above the town.
The wines from this area are typically made from the Nebbiolo grape (locally known as Chiavennasca). …
more >>>
Price: £30.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Inferno, 1973
Cantina Coop. Villa
Clearance Offer | Was £89 | Now £40
Inferno is one of five viticultural sub-zones specifically identified as producing Valtellina wines of particularly high quality: the other four are Grumello, Sassella, Maroggia and Valgella. Inferno means 'hell' in Italian, and refers to the slopes between Sondrio town and the village of Tresivio. Although DOC laws do not explain the origins of this name, it has been suggested that in summer the slopes here get noticeably hotter than the rest of the valley. Just across Sondrio to the west is Sassella, the finest of the Valtellina sub-zones.
more >>>
Price: £40.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Lessona, 1973
Sella - Tenuta Sebastiano allo Zoppo
Lessona is a red wine-specific DOC of the Piedmont wine region in north-western Italy. It is one of several Piedmontese wines to be based on the region's native Nebbiolo grape variety, the most famous of which are Barolo and Barbaresco
more >>>
Price: £89.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Merlot, 1973
Conte d'Artimis
Merlot can also produce a delightful and intriguing pure varietal wine. While Merlot has a long history of use as a blending wine, pure Merlot wines have been relatively slow in gaining momentum in Italy. That too has changed and today some of the world’s best Merlot wines bear Italian labels.
more >>>
Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Mombrione, 1973
Cavazzana
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity.
more >>>
Price: £69.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Montepulciano, 1973
d'Abruzzo, Casal Chaulero Consorzio Aprufino
Montepulciano is a red wine grape variety grown widely in central Italy, most notably its eastern Abruzzo, Marche and Molise regions. The variety was named after the Tuscan parish of Montepulciano, but, confusingly, is not used in the famous wines produced there (see Vino Nobile di Montepulciano). Globally appreciated for their soft flavors, strong color and gentle tannins, Montepulciano wines are typically best consumed in their youth and with food. The deep-purple juice of Montepulciano grapes is used in varying proportions to produce wines under roughly 50 of Italy's DOC and DOCG titles. Although sometimes used on its own, …
more >>>
Price: £119.00
Stock: 9 in Stock
Nebbiolo, 1973
Giacomo Borgogno
Clearance Offer - Last Bottle | Was £99 | Now £60
The Nebbiolo has a lovely earthy bouquet. The nose has cherries, dark cherries, tar and slight dried rose notes. Complex and layered. Nice acidity. Medium tannins still present. Cherries on the palate too. Nice finish. Great food wine. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
more >>>
Price: £60.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Nebbiolo, 1973
Marchesi di Barolo
The Nebbiolo has a lovely earthy bouquet. The nose has cherries, dark cherries, tar and slight dried rose notes. Complex and layered. Nice acidity. Medium tannins still present. Cherries on the palate too. Nice finish. Great food wine. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
more >>>
Price: £99.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Pinot Nero, 1973
Botter Carlo
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity.
more >>>
Price: £59.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Rosso, 1973
Incrocio - Manzoni - La Favorita
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity.
more >>>
Price: £69.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Rosso, 1973
Colli Berici, Conti
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity.
more >>>
Price: £59.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Rosso del Salento, 1973
Giuseppe Calò
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity.
more >>>
Price: £69.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Rosso Toscano, 1973
Fattoria la Torre
Clearance Offer Was £69
Now £49
A Classic Tuscan Red from a Historic Estate
The 1973 Rosso Toscano Fattoria la Torre offers a rare opportunity to experience an aged expression of traditional Tuscan winemaking. Fattoria la Torre, nestled among the gentle hills of Tuscany, has long been known for producing wines that honor regional heritage and emphasize purity, balance, and rustic elegance. This bottle represents a style rooted in classic Sangiovese and local blending traditions.
A Vintage of Delicate Balance
The 1973 vintage in Tuscany was marked by cooler conditions, producing wines with higher acidity, moderate body, and more restrained fruit character. …
more >>>
Price: £49.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Sangue di Giuda, 1973
La Vigna
Intense crimson-red colour and purplish froth with complex aroma of violet, cherry and mixed berries, fizzy, medium bodied wine.
more >>>
Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sforzato, 1973
Villa Bianzone
This is the most representative and prestigious wine of the entire Valtellina region. It can be produced in all valleys (from Ardenno to Tirano), but only in hilly, well exposed vineyards having with loose soil and gravel. This wine is obtained from hand-made selection of the best bunches of Nebbiolo-Chiavennasca grapes, which are dried on wooden racks in a well ventilated and dry room, a "Fruttaio", for at least 110 days until late January. During this winter time the climate of the Valtellina region does all the work, drying the grapes. By late January the grapes have lost about 40% of their weight, the berries are dry and their concentrated juice has developed specific and very intense aromatic substances. …
more >>>
Price: £139.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sfursat, 1973
Nino Negri
Clearance Offer - Last Bottle | Was £139 | Now £89
The Sfursat di Valtellina wine is a dry red “Passito” style wine and is made by making wine with dried grapes. The best bunches of Chiavennasca are selected and laid out on specially made mats in aerated purpose-built cellars to dry (similar to the process in Valpolicella for Amarone). The “breva” wind which blows through this region has historically assisted the production of the Sfursat wines. The grapes spend about 3 and a half months drying like this and towards the end of January (once the main winery tasks for the other wines are all finished) the grapes will have lost about 40% of their own weight, the sugars will have concentrated and the signature passito aroma will be present. …
more >>>
Price: £89.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sgreben, 1973
Vinicola Sociale Aldeno
The 1973 Sgreben from Vinicola Sociale Aldeno is a remarkable relic from the Trentino region of northern Italy, offering a rare opportunity to taste a wine that has been patiently resting for over half a century. Vinicola Sociale Aldeno, a cooperative with deep local roots, has long been dedicated to producing wines that capture the Alpine freshness and terroir of the Adige Valley. The 1973 vintage, shaped by the cooler climate of the region, yielded wines with elegance, firm structure, and the potential for graceful ageing—qualities that this mature bottle now displays in abundance.
In the glass, the wine reveals a translucent brick-red core with amber and tawny edges, telling the story of its decades in bottle. …
more >>>
Price: £79.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sogno di Bacco, 1973
Umberto Fiore
Sogno di Bacco is made from thelong lasting nebbiolo grape. Nebbiolo is a black-skinned red wine grape variety most famous for creating the 'tar and roses' scent of Barolo wines from Piedmont, north-western Italy. The grape's very name is evocative of its home among the misty foothills of the western Alps; the nebbia (Italian for 'fog') after which it is named frequently arrives on early October mornings, when the Nebbiolo harvest is in full swing.
more >>>
Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Spanna, 1973
Umberto Fiore - Riserva Speciale - *** BIG BOTTLE of 5 LITRES ***
Spanna has often been cited by wine experts as one of Italy’s greatest ageing wines. Spanna’s longevity can be attributed, at least in part, to the addition of smaller amounts of less tannic, more acidic grape varieties. Tasting notes: The nose opens up beautifully after about an hour and the wine has gorgeous ripe and sweet fruit, nice acidity, and perfectly softened tannins.
more >>>
Price: £395.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Spanna, 1973
Vecchio Castello ** BIG BOTTLE OF 3,78 LITRES **
Spanna has often been cited by wine experts as one of Italy’s greatest ageing wines. Spanna’s longevity can be attributed, at least in part, to the addition of smaller amounts of less tannic, more acidic grape varieties. Tasting notes: The nose opens up beautifully after about an hour and the wine has gorgeous ripe and sweet fruit, nice acidity, and perfectly softened tannins.
more >>>
Price: £399.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Spanna, 1973
Antonio Vallana - Campi Raudi
Spanna has often been cited by wine experts as one of Italy’s greatest ageing wines. Spanna’s longevity can be attributed, at least in part, to the addition of smaller amounts of less tannic, more acidic grape varieties. Tasting notes: The nose opens up beautifully after about an hour and the wine has gorgeous ripe and sweet fruit, nice acidity, and perfectly softened tannins.
more >>>
Price: £139.00
Stock: 15 in Stock
Spanna, 1973
F.lli Berteletti
Spanna has often been cited by wine experts as one of Italy’s greatest ageing wines. Spanna’s longevity can be attributed, at least in part, to the addition of smaller amounts of less tannic, more acidic grape varieties. Tasting notes: The nose opens up beautifully after about an hour and the wine has gorgeous ripe and sweet fruit, nice acidity, and perfectly softened tannins.
more >>>
Price: £99.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Valtellina, 1973
Runchet - A. Pelizzatti
Valtellina is one of Italy’s most dramatic wine regions, located in Lombardy, the vineyards are located on steep mountains. The principal grape variety is Chiavennasca (the local name for Piedmont’s Nebbiolo and an Italian grape varietal that has been cultivated since medieval times here). The DOCG wines are generally comprised of at least 90% Chiavennasca and then blended with other quality local grapes like Brugnola, Rossola, Pignola. Then there is a DOC Valtellina Rosso (also called Rosso di Valtellina DOC) which requires at least 80% of the blend be Chiavennasca and does not have minimum ageing requirements. …
more >>>
Price: £89.00
Stock: 8 in Stock