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1980 Wine and Port Vintage

 
Vintage Summary and Recommendations:


1980-wine-gifts

Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port's 1980 wine page. Read on for our summary of the 1980 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 1980 vintage was not a great one overall, with few hits across the wine world and even then it never quite went above being strictly average. The biggest disappointments lay in the Old World, particularly in the French regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne, which saw very few great wines produced. Although some good Rhône Valley, Spanish and Port wines were made. Any of these wines would make a fabulous 45 year old wine gift for an Anniversary or birthday.


Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:

  • Ryst Dupeyron Armagnac 1980 Reserve Joseph Millesime vintage Armagnac
  • Bodegas Toro Albala 1980 Don PX Seleccion
  • Quinta Das Carvalhas 1980 Colheita Port – with gift tube
  • Barolo 1980 Giordano

  •  
    This Year in History: Fun Fact: Tennis player Venus Williams was born.
    Eurovision Winner: Ireland with the song "What's Another Year" by Johnny Logan
    Top Grossing Movie: Star Wars Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
     
    Bordeaux: The 1980 wine vintage produced wines of variable quality from Bordeaux. A very wet, cool year resulted in wines that were light and diluted. Nevertheless, some producers who operated a strict selection policy still managed to produce acceptable wines.
     
    Champagne: In Champagne, the 1980 is an exceptionally fine, rich vintage.
     
    Italian: 1980 for Italian wines was a very good year. The wines are generally quite consistent and there are some great Barolo wines from Piedmont. The wines have reached full maturity but will last for a few more years.
     
    Portugal: The 1980 Port vintage is rated as outstanding and was generally declared vintage. Over time the 1980 Ports have been hugely under-rated book-ended by the great 1977 and large abundant 1983 and 1985 vintages. This vintage is ready now but will continue to develop and keep for decades, making them the perfect wine gift for a birthday or anniversary. An unusually early spring was followed by an extremely dry growing season and sugar readings were on the low side when picking began a week or so later than normal, at the end of September.

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    49 products found.

    Warre's Vintage Port, 1980

    Vintage Port

    Please note that these bottles are Library stock from Warre's cellars in Oporto and have perfect provenance.

    An outstanding 30 year old port just reaching full maturity. Reviews: Wine Spectator, October 1988 “Excellent Port from an overlooked vintage”. Malcolm Gluck, The Guardian, 23rd December 1995 “Overwhelmingly fruity and flowing. Beautiful, round and smooth. Quite exceptional”. WINE, December 2001 93 Points “The best colour thus far with a rich peppery nose and a meaty, complex long finish. Excellent”. Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine, Published 2002 Four Stars (Very Good) “Best wine of the evening…Still very deep; fragrant; extraordinarily dense, figgy flavour and impressive, very dry finish”.
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    Price: £119.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Sizzano, 1980

    Francesco Fontana
    *** Special Offer- Was £69 | Now £50 ***

    The wines Sizzano must be made from grapes coming from the following varieties: Nebbiolo (Span): 50-70%; Vespolina and Uva Rara (Bonarda Novarese) alone or in combination 30-50%. Colour: ruby red with garnet; Bouquet: vinous, typical, with hints of violet, fine and pleasant; Flavour: dry, full-bodied and harmonious with a slightly bitter aftertaste; Aging: "Sizzano": at least 22 months of which at least 18 in wood; "Sizzano Reserve": at least 34 months of which at least 24 in wood.
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    Price: £50.00
    Stock: 5 in Stock

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    Sassella, 1980

    Nera

    Valtellina Superiore Sassella wines are made under the Valtellina Superiore DOCG, specifically from grapes grown in the village of Sassella. Sassella is one of five viticultural sub-zones specifically identified as producing Valtellina wines of particularly high quality: the other four are Grumello, Inferno, Maroggia and Valgella. Sassella is considered to be the finest of these, and the pinnacle of the Valtellina viticultural zone.
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    Price: £69.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Domaine Cazes, 1980

    Domaine Cazes Vin Doux Naturel, Rivesaltes, Languedoc Roussillon

    This is a sweet red wine from the South of France. It is part of a historic collection of marvelous wines, whose aromatic range evokes the heady days of Rivesaltes AOC of the mid 20th Century. Can match perfectly from aperitif to digestif, wonderful with cheese.
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    Price: £89.00
    Stock: 3 in Stock

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    Familia Torres, 1980

    Torres Coronas, Catalonia

    The Torres Coronas 1980 is a remarkable piece of Spanish winemaking history, produced by the renowned Familia Torres in the Penedès region of Catalonia. As one of the oldest and most established names in Spanish wine, Torres has long been associated with quality and tradition. The Coronas label, known for its dependable Tempranillo-based reds, represents the family’s deep-rooted commitment to excellence and innovation. The 1980 vintage hails from a time when Spanish wines were gaining increasing international recognition, making this bottle not only a rare find but also a historical artefact.

    This particular bottle features bin-soiled labels,
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    Price: £69.00
    Stock: 2 in Stock

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    Recioto, 1980

    Tommasi
    Clearance Offer - Last Bottle | Was £129 | Now £95

    "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 flavors. The wines are lovely and taste how you'd expect raisins-turned-wine to taste, rich and sweet.
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    Price: £95.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Ramos Pinto, 1980

    Vintage Port

    A 1980 Ramos Pinto Port is also likely to be a fantastic choice. The 1980 vintage is highly regarded for port wines, and Ramos Pinto is a respected producer, so you're probably in for a treat.

    Vintage ports from 1980 often display intense flavors of dark fruits, such as blackberry, plum, and cherry, along with notes of chocolate, spices, and sometimes even a hint of tobacco. These wines typically have a velvety texture and a long, satisfying finish.

    A 1980 Ramos Pinto Port would be perfect for sipping on its own after a meal or paired with rich desserts like chocolate truffles or a flourless chocolate cake.
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    Price: £129.00
    Stock: 5 in Stock

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    Quinta Das Carvalhas, 1980

    Colheita Port | Includes Presentation Gift Tube
    95 Points - Wine Spectator

    The 1980 Quinta das Carvalhas Colheita Port is a rare and exquisite wine, offering a rich taste of history. Perfect for special occasions and celebrations, especially those that call for a vintage wine. It makes an excellent gift for anniversaries, birthdays, or as a collector's item.

    Tasting Notes
    Deep amber in colour, classic for its age. On the nose, reveals immense aromatic intensity, with notes of bitter almond, toasted nuts and raisins, beautifully complexed with hints of old oak and caramel. On the palate, the wine’s age adds a complex, slightly oxidative quality that is both unique and intriguing, yet with the intensity driven by age and the acidity that creates a long, lasting finish.
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    Price: £129.00
    Stock: 24 in Stock

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    Nebbiolo D'Alba, 1980

    Poderi Scanavino

    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.
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    Price: £79.00
    Stock: 4 in Stock

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    Montepulciano, 1980

    d'Abruzzo, Vecchio Colle

    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,
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    Price: £69.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Montepulciano, 1980

    d'Abbruzo, Casal Thaulero - BIG BOTTLE of 3,78 Liters

    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,
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    Price: £295.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Messias, 1980

    Colheita Port, Douro

    The 1980 Messias Colheita port is well-regarded for its balanced sweetness and complex profile, making it a great choice for those who enjoy tawny and colheita style ports.

    Tasting notes:
    Pale Tawny wine, with personalized aromatic evolution, with well defined tertiary aromas, enhancing a noble wood with vanillas, good and elegant presence of the “Vinagrinho”, noble volatile acidity, and spices, mild notes of pepper and clove with a slight nutmeg touch. At taste is powerful and fresh revealing well its age, delighting us with its long after taste.

    Serving & Food Pairing
    Colheita Ports are ready-to drink and do not require decanting.
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    Price: £119.00
    Stock: 38 in Stock

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    Madeira, 1980

    di Savorgnana, Podere del Sole

    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
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    Price: £49.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Gamay, 1980

    di Savorgnana, Podere del Sole

    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
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    Price: £49.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Lago di Caldaro, 1980

    G. Kettmeir

    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.
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    Price: £69.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Franciacorta, 1980

    Catturich

    Franciacorta is a wine from the Province of Brescia (Lombardy) with DOCG status produced from grapes grown within the boundaries of the territory of Franciacorta, on the hills located between the southern shore of Lake Iseo and the city of Brescia. It was awarded DOC status in 1967, the designation then also including red and white still wines.
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    Price: £69.00
    Stock: 8 in Stock

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    Fonseca Port, 1980

    Vintage Port

    The Fonseca 1980 Vintage Port is a distinguished wine from a vintage that, while not as widely celebrated as some others, has matured gracefully over the decades. Fonseca, renowned for its rich and opulent style, produced a Port in 1980 that offers a unique tasting experience, reflecting both the house's signature characteristics and the nuances of the vintage year.​

    In the glass, the 1980 Fonseca displays a pale garnet hue, indicative of its age. The nose is aromatic, with notes of herbs, lavender, and strawberry syrup. On the palate, it presents flavors of redcurrants, raisins, and a spicy mid-palate, culminating in a sweet aftertaste dominated by Seville orange marmalade and a hint of bitter coffee.
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    Price: £119.00
    Stock: 3 in Stock

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    Jacob Gerhardt Neirsteiner Schlosskellerein, 1980

    Jacob Gerhardt Neirsteiner Schlosskellerein, Auslese Rheinhessen
    Sweet White Wine

    The 1980 Eiswein is a sweet dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing for a more concentrated grape juice to develop.

    The high residual sugar concentration give these wines great ageing properties - we tasted this bottle over two days. Served chilled from the fridge after a 4 hour decant. The colour is a light-amber with green tinge around the rim of the glass. Fresher than another bottle from a different region. There are honey notes, apricots and sultana notes on the nose.
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    Price: £99.95
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Cirò, 1980

    Vinicola Zino

    The Ciro has a pale ruby colour. Has an elegant bouquet in which they differ floral and fruity notes: rose, maraschino cherry, red fruit and hints of iodine on a rhubarb and sweet spices. The palate has a right to the body weight in balance and freshness, is intense and soft with a lingering fruity finish.
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    Price: £59.00
    Stock: 8 in Stock

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    Chianti, 1980

    Ruffino - RARE MAGNUM of 1,75 Liters

    Chianti, situated in Tuscany in central Italy, is home to probably the best-known and most iconic of all Italian wines. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are primarily made with Sangiovese grape whereas the Vernaccia grape is the basis of the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
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    Price: £175.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Chianti, 1980

    Geografico

    Chianti, situated in Tuscany in central Italy, is home to probably the best-known and most iconic of all Italian wines. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are primarily made with Sangiovese grape whereas the Vernaccia grape is the basis of the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
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    Price: £69.00
    Stock: 3 in Stock

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    Chateau Musar, 1980

    Bekaar Valley, Gaston Hochar
    Bin soiled Labels

    The 1980 Musar is a blend of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Carignan from this well-known and highly regarded Lebanese winery.

    "Brownish ruby. Nose: Animal, meaty, iron (these typical Musar notes seem milder, more balanced here compared to younger vintages) mixed with sweet black fruit and light herbal notes. Similar notes on the palate, round, tart, good structure. Clearer mushroom notes with time to breathe but not much further development. " Cellar Tracker Review Average 91 Points,

    Chateau Musar is often referred to as the Lafite of the Lebanon. Wine maker Gaston Hochar defied the odds producing a string of great wines during the Lebanon War.
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    Price: £250.00
    Stock: 3 in Stock

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    Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1980

    Paulliac 1er Cru Grand Classe

    The 1980 Château Mouton Rothschild is a fascinating example of how even First Growth estates navigate the challenges of difficult vintages. This particular year was marked by variable weather across Bordeaux, including a wet spring and cool summer, which led to uneven ripening and modest fruit concentration. As a result, wines from the 1980 vintage, including Mouton Rothschild, are generally considered less powerful and less age-worthy than those from more acclaimed years. Yet, despite these hurdles, Mouton’s reputation and meticulous winemaking ensure that even its weaker vintages hold interest.
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    Price: £335.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Chateau Latour, 1980

    Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classe

    The 1980 Château Latour from Pauillac, one of Bordeaux’s First Growth estates, comes from a less celebrated vintage. The 1980 growing season was challenging due to a cooler and wetter summer, resulting in less-than-ideal conditions for ripening. However, Château Latour is known for its ability to produce outstanding wines even in difficult years and the 1980 vintage is one of the top wines from the vintage, although lighter and less structured compared to more renowned vintages.

    Tasting notes for the 1980 Château Latour: The wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot typical of Latour’s blend.
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    Price: £495.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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    Chateau Batailley, 1980

    Pauillac 5th Growth Classification

    1980 Château Batailley – A Mature Pauillac from a Challenging Vintage
    The 1980 Château Batailley comes from a vintage that tested Bordeaux winemakers due to cool, wet conditions throughout the growing season. Château Batailley, a fifth-growth estate in Pauillac, is known for producing structured, Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines that traditionally age well. However, 1980 was not a strong vintage, with a late and difficult harvest leading to wines that were generally lighter in body and acidity-driven rather than deeply concentrated.

    Now, more than 40 years later, any well-preserved bottle of 1980 Château Batailley will have evolved into a delicate, fully mature wine.
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    Price: £66.00
    Stock: 1 in Stock

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