1981 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Port: No vintage port was made in 1981. Our recommendation would be for a 1981 Colheita port from 1981. Kopke are renowned for their colheita and this would make a wonderful gift for a 41 year old Birthday or Anniversary this year.
Italian: The good 1981 Italian vintage produced a large crop of consistent wines. The best examples from Tuscany and Piedmont are now at their peak of their maturity, and will offer a good drinking experience.
Bordeaux:

Spain: 1981 was considered one of the great vintages for Rioja, and this wine is at its peak of maturity.
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29 products found.
1981 Madeira
D'Oliveiras Verdelho Madeira
"Aromas of raisin and coffee. Taste corresponds to aromas, but adds fresh mint and nuts. Sweet, but with balancing acidity. Complex.
By far the best of the few Madeiras I have tasted. (92 points)
" Cellar Tracker Review"
Try this medium-dry Madeira as an aperitif or with your main course. It is a perfect accompaniment to smoked ham, smoked salmon and various cooked meats as well as seafood. Try it with cottage cheese, ripened cheeses, nut-like cheeses and hazelnuts.
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Price: $210.73 USD
Stock: 7 in Stock
1981 D'Oliveiras Madeira, 1981
Sale
Sercial Madeira
Raisins, plums, walnuts and a hint of prunes in this wonderful Madeira. The scent fills the room as soon as it is open. Pouring it into the glass you notice the crystal clear golden brown color with hints of red. You swirl and smell, noticing the raisins and the walnuts. You take a sip, the flavors of raisins and plums fills the front of your mouth, not too sweet. You swish and swallow, the walnuts taking over in the back of the mouth. The taste lingers…
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Price: $198.26 USD
Stock: 18 in Stock
1981 Ryst-Dupeyron Armagnac, 1981
Ryst Dupeyron Reserve Joseph Millesime vintage Armagnac
50cl bottle
This Armagnac Réserve Joseph vintage 1981 with an amber color will be chocolate in the mouth. Its pastry aromas will reveal themselves magnificently in a balloon glass heated in the palm of your hand. It is a full-bodied eau de vie to enjoy as a digestive.
The 1981 Dupeyron Armagnac is the expression of a single year and has a unique character associated with the year and the cask in which it has been stored. These vintages are bottled at the alcohol level in which they naturally come out of the cask. There is a wonderful contrast between the sweet and sour flavours of wood, amplified by the strong alcoholic degree. …
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Price: $110.97 USD
Stock: 10 in Stock
Aglianico, 1981
del Vulture, Contrada Pipoli
The real magic of Aglianico appears to the patient. Just like its Northern Italian stable-mate Nebbiolo (the only grape allowed in majestic Barolo and Barbaresco). The time softens the wines firm tannic structure and enamel-removing acidity revealing lush layers of sweetened fruit and dried floral aromas intermixed with dusty and spiced smoke savory flavors.
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Price: $61.10 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Aleatico, 1981
Porto Azzuro - Sapere
Aleatico is a red Italian wine grape variety. It is notable for being the primary grape in the cult wine Aleatico di Portoferraio made in Elba, but is grown most commonly in the Apulia and Lazio regions of Italy.
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Price: $98.51 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Amarone della Valpolicella, 1981
Fratelli Pasqua
This wine is made from grapes harvested in various vineyards located on hills in the Valpolicella zone (Mezzane and Tregnago hills). Different sources and different grape varieties are important to obtain well-balanced wines with the fine structure that only a few single areas in the Valpolicella zone can provide. Notes: Color: strong ruby red. Clear and transparent. Bouquet: notes of vanilla and ethereal airs depending on the period of aging in the barrel; notes of sweet fruits such as currants, blueberries, cherries depending on the varieties of grapes. Flavor: wine with a velvety, raisiny character combined with the structure and typical stylish bitterness to give it good balance. …
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Price: $235.66 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Amarone della Valpolicella, 1981
H.B.M.
This wine is made from grapes harvested in various vineyards located on hills in the Valpolicella zone (Mezzane and Tregnago hills). Different sources and different grape varieties are important to obtain well-balanced wines with the fine structure that only a few single areas in the Valpolicella zone can provide. Notes: Color: strong ruby red. Clear and transparent. Bouquet: notes of vanilla and ethereal airs depending on the period of aging in the barrel; notes of sweet fruits such as currants, blueberries, cherries depending on the varieties of grapes. Flavor: wine with a velvety, raisiny character combined with the structure and typical stylish bitterness to give it good balance. …
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Price: $223.20 USD
Stock: 2 in Stock
Barbaresco, 1981
G. Fassino
Barbaresco is one of the great wines of Italy's north-western Piedmont region. This aristocratic red has its vineyards situated in the Langhe, on the right-hand side of the Tanaro river and extending from the area north-east of Alba to the communes of Barbaresco, Nieve and Treiso. The dominant variety grown is Nebbiolo, but Dolcetto and Barbera also play a part. The vines are generally grown on limestone-rich marl soils. similar to the Tortonium soils of the Barolo and La Morra areas in Barolo. Similar to its more famous sibling Barolo, Barbaresco is made from 100% Nebbiolo and shares its cult status as one of the finest wines in the world. …
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Price: $173.32 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Baron de Lustrac, 1981
Vintage Armagnac (Comes in original Lustrac Box as illustrated)
Baron de Lustrac is a small traditional éleveur specialising in fine old Armagnac vintages. Their extensive range is sourced from neighbouring estates in the Tenereze and Mas Armagnac regions and they keep an ageing and bottling chais near Magnan, in the Bas Armagnac region.
All Baron de Lustrac Armagnacs are aged in 420ltr oak barrels and sold as single vintages. The grapes used are all harvested from the one particular year, and will only be distilled if the conditions were particularly good. Perfect for big birthdays or as a special drink for the connoisseur as they truly are a fine example of the very best Armagnacs around. …
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Price: $173.32 USD
Stock: 5 in Stock
Blandys Madeira, 1981
Malmsey Madeira 75cl BOTTLE
Reviews
Deep amber-red in colour; lifted, toasted and singed on the nose, really rather wonderful, this sings from the glass; gentle honeyed sweetness, super-concentrated mid-palate, so pure yet complex too with a toasty-savoury back drop, rich (100g/l residual sugar) but the acidity running through leads to a vibrant finish. Nothing soupy about this: wonderful precision and definition.
Score: 18.5 Richard Mayson, richardmayson.com, January 2019
For 200 years, Blandy’s Madeira has been synonymous with quality Madeira wine. The Blandy’s are unique in being the only family of all the original founders of the Madeira wine trade to still own and manage their own original wine company. …
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Price: $248.13 USD
Stock: 6 in Stock
Blandys Madeira, 1981
Malmsey Madeira 37.5cl HALF BOTTLE
Reviews
Deep amber-red in colour; lifted, toasted and singed on the nose, really rather wonderful, this sings from the glass; gentle honeyed sweetness, super-concentrated mid-palate, so pure yet complex too with a toasty-savoury back drop, rich (100g/l residual sugar) but the acidity running through leads to a vibrant finish. Nothing soupy about this: wonderful precision and definition.
Score: 18.5 Richard Mayson, richardmayson.com, January 2019
For 200 years, Blandy’s Madeira has been synonymous with quality Madeira wine. The Blandy’s are unique in being the only family of all the original founders of the Madeira wine trade to still own and manage their own original wine company. …
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Price: $160.85 USD
Stock: 3 in Stock
Chateau Bel-Air Lagrave, 1981
Moulis en-medoc
Magnum 1.5L
The Seguin-Bacquey family have owned this nine-hectare Moulis property for over 150 years. The vineyard is planted with 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. The wine spends 18-20 months in oak, between 35% and 50% of which is new.
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Price: $123.44 USD
Stock: 7 in Stock
Chateau Clerc Milon Rothschild, 1981
Pauillac 5th Growth Classification
Still some fruit left in this 1981 wine from Pauillac in Bordeaux. Complex aromas derived from ageing have now started appearing: mushroom, leather, earth. On the palate it shows good acidity and fine tannins with a long aftertaste. Leave it half hour or more in the decanter to express itself.
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Price: $148.38 USD
Stock: 3 in Stock
Chateau Leoville Poyferre, 1981
St Julien 2me Growth Classification
A deep tawny rim with a mahogany core. This has a delightful nose, very good intensity with notes of cooked meats, roasted chestnut, toffee and a touch of marzipan. It smells as if it is from a hot vintage! After five minutes in the glass, it become a little muffled but develops a touch of mint. The palate certainly has more fruit concentration than the 1980, a rounded texture, quite sharp acidity with notes of sour cherry, a touch of leather and a dry, rather gamey, but attenuated finish. Not bad for a 1981
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Price: $205.74 USD
Stock: 6 in Stock
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1981
Paulliac 1er Cru Grand Classe High shoulder level - good labels
Arman label.
From the good 1981 vintage, this lovely red wine has a spicy bouquet and a crisp fruity flavour with a long smooth finish.
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Price: $592.28 USD
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1981
Paulliac 1er Cru Grand Classe Mid shoulder level - scuffed label
Arman label.
From the good 1981 vintage, this lovely red wine has a spicy bouquet and a crisp fruity flavour with a long smooth finish.
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Price: $529.93 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1981
Paulliac 1er Cru Grand Classe Low shoulder level - good label
Arman label.
From the good 1981 vintage, this lovely red wine has a spicy bouquet and a crisp fruity flavour with a long smooth finish.
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Price: $435.17 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Senejac, 1981
Haut Medoc (mid Shoulder)
The 1981 chateau Senejac is light and bright, then building a little more interest - stays defined and juicy, very well done, if not the most concentrated, it has an attractively lively weave of fruit, tannin and acidity.
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Price: $61.10 USD
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chianti, 1981
Fattoria Pieve a Pitiana
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: $86.04 USD
Stock: 9 in Stock
Chianti, 1981
Santa Cristina - Antinori
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: $86.04 USD
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chianti Classico, 1981
Pian d'Albola MAGNUM 1.5L
Tuscan wine (Italian Toscana) is Italian wine from the Tuscany region. Located in central Italy along the Tyrrhenian coast, Tuscany is home to some of the world's most notable wine regions. 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: $160.85 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Dolcetto, 1981
di Diano d'Alba, San Quirico - Vigneto Sorito
A native black grape variety of Northern Italy grown almost exclusively in the provinces of Cuneo and Alessandria in Piedmont. It is relatively easy to cultivate, although it is susceptible to fungal diseases. It ripens before Barbera and Nebbiolo and is often grown in high north-facing sites which would be unsuitable for Nebbiolo. The finest Dolcetto wines come from grapes grown on soils rich with white marls, especially those found on the right bank of the River Tauro. The wines generally are low in tannins and acidity and are usually fruity and fragrant, often with hints of almonds.
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Price: $61.10 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Domaine de Chevalier, 1981
Sale
Graves Pessac-Leogan
Double Magnum (3L)
Clearance Offer | was £695 | Now £495
Excellent complex nose, medium to high intensity, red bell pepper, roasted vegetables, earth and cherry fruit; a full bodied wine with some minerality, excellent fresh acidity and ripe red fruit. Ready to drink now.
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Price: $617.22 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock
Merlot, 1981
Fantinel
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.
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Price: $98.51 USD
Stock: 2 in Stock
Rivesaltes, 1981
Riveyrac Vin Doux Naturel
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: $99.69 USD
Stock: 1 in Stock