1983 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: A short summary of the fabulous 1983 Vintage with our top recommendations 1983 Wine and Port
The 1983 vintage produced some fabulous Vintage Ports that are drinking well today and will last for decades. In Bordeaux and Italy the vintage was challenging. Top producers who selected their grapes produced some very good wines. These wines are still in their drinking window and will continue to hold. Any of these wines would make a fabulous 42 year old wine gift for an Anniversary or birthday.
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: The final episode of the TV series M*A*S*H, airs on CBS, to a total audience of 121.6M. Luxembourg won Eurovision with the song " Si La Vie Est Cadeau" by Corinne Hermes. Henry Cavill, Actor, was born in this year. He is best known for his role as Superman in several of the DC films.
Top Grossing Movie: Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi
Bordeaux: The 1983 vintage produced wines of mixed quality, with some excellent wines from the Margaux region. A tropical humid heat-wave in August led to over-ripening in some regions, but those Chateaux who adopted careful selection produced some outstanding wines. Those from the Margaux region were probably the greatest of the decade. St Julien and Pauillac also turned out very good wines. The irregularity means that no single characteristic defines the vintage, however the wines are now at the peak of their maturity.
Champagne: A good year, that was overshadowed by the outstanding 1982 vintage. The winter was harsh, and conditions did not improve much in spring, which was cold and damp. As a result, flowering was late, although when it did take place it did so under ideal conditions. The sunny, warm weather continued throughout much of the summer, although enough rain fell to prevent the crop from drying out. Rain, and the temperature, fell at the start of September, but conditions picked up in time for the harvest at the end of the month and beginning of October.
Italian: The 1983 wine vintage is rated as very good for the regions of Tuscany and Piedmont. The vintage produced rich, structured, full-bodied wines that are still drinking well today.
Portugal: 1983 vintage ports are now considered great classic, concentrated, rich and potent wines. It was a general declaration of vintage, with 10 major shippers declaring this year. In youth the wines were powerful yet austere, lacking the showy opulence of the 85s. However, in bottle they have developed marvellously, with the best examples being complex and harmonious. These are excellent value-for-money ports, and would make a brilliant wine gift for a birthday or anniversary.
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14 products found.
Barolo, 1983
Giordano
Barolo is known as the 'king of wines' and is made from the Nebbiolo grape. Heady aromas of rose, leather, vanilla, cherry, pepper, cranberry, strawberry. Fruits are perfectly knitted with the tannins and acidity. It's a powerful wine but remarkably subtle. Don't underestimate it and certainly serve it with food to show at it's best. Nebbiolo has naturally high tannins and acidity, so it will take on full-flavoured, rich foods no problem at all.
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Ausone, 1983
St Emilion Grand Cru Classe
The Château Ausone 1983 is a fascinating vintage from one of Bordeaux’s most iconic estates in the Saint-Émilion appellation. While the 1983 vintage was somewhat overshadowed by the legendary 1982, it offered its own set of unique qualities, producing wines with elegance and charm. Château Ausone, known for its limestone terroir and meticulous craftsmanship, crafted a wine in 1983 that reflects the vintage’s character while showcasing the estate’s signature style.
Wine Overview
The 1983 Château Ausone is typically composed of a blend of:
Cabernet Franc (dominant): Contributing structure, floral aromas, and herbal complexity. …
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Price: £445.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Batailley, 1983
Pauillac 5th Growth Classification
Château Batailley, a fifth-growth estate in Bordeaux's Pauillac appellation, has a longstanding reputation for producing robust and age-worthy wines. The 1983 vintage, while overshadowed by the exceptional 1982, has matured gracefully over the decades, offering a unique tasting experience for enthusiasts of classic Bordeaux.
The 1983 growing season presented challenges, including hot and humid weather that led to overripe grapes and the development of rot. However, a sunny autumn provided ideal harvesting conditions, resulting in generous and intensely fruity wines that developed more quickly than their 1982 counterparts. …
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Price: £66.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Chasse Spleen, 1983
Moulis en Medoc
Château Chasse-Spleen, a distinguished estate in Bordeaux's Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, has a storied history of producing wines that embody the elegance and complexity characteristic of the region. The 1983 vintage, now approaching four decades of maturity, offers a unique opportunity to experience the evolution of this esteemed estate's offerings.
Tasting Profile
With the passage of time, the 1983 Château Chasse-Spleen has developed a nuanced profile. Tasting notes from 2006 describe the wine as having a lovely faded blackcurrant nose with an earthy background. On the palate, it presents as round, spicy, and slightly earthy, leading to a nice long warm finish. …
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Price: £59.00
Stock: 8 in Stock
Chateau Cos d'Estournel, 1983
St Estephe, 2nd Growth Classification
This is a very fine 1983: Far superior on the nose to the 1988. Damson, mulberry and a touch of earth. Fine definition. Perhaps even a little mint leaf. The palate is well-defined with rounded, plummy damson fruit. Not complex but there is a vigour and charm here. Fresh acidity. Becomes quite minerally in the finish. Drinking superbly now.
Château Cos d'Estournel is a prestigious wine estate located in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux, France. Established in the early 19th century by Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel, the estate is renowned for its grand architectural style, including the iconic pagodas that distinguish its winery. …
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Price: £175.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Chateau d'Issan, 1983
Cantenac (Margaux) 3me cru classe
The 1983 Château d'Issan is a beautifully aged Third Growth Margaux, offering a refined and elegant expression of this historic estate. The 1983 vintage in Bordeaux was highly regarded, particularly in the Margaux appellation, where wines developed excellent structure and longevity. Now, after over 40 years of aging, this wine presents a fascinating opportunity for collectors and lovers of mature Bordeaux.
With a deep garnet color and amber hues, the wine showcases a complex bouquet of red and black currants, subtle bergamot, and mint, with tertiary notes of cedar and tobacco. The palate remains medium-bodied and well-balanced, with softened tannins and a lingering, refined finish. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau Larmande, 1983
Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux
Half Bottle 37.5cl
Château Larmande, located in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux, is one of the region's oldest estates, with a history dating back to 1585. The 1983 vintage, now over four decades old, offers a unique opportunity to experience a mature expression of this Grand Cru Classé wine.
Tasting Notes
Specific tasting notes for the 1983 Château Larmande are limited. However, given its age, it's plausible that the wine exhibits tertiary aromas such as leather, tobacco, and earthy notes, with softened tannins and a harmonious palate. It's important to note that individual bottle conditions can vary, especially with wines of this age. …
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Price: £49.95
Stock: 15 in Stock
Chateau Lynch-Bages, 1983
Pauillac 5me Cru Classe
*** 88 points Wine Journal ***
Reviews
"This has a light nose, mulberry, a touch of wild mushroom, sloe and a touch of caramel. Moderate definition. Palate is medium-bodied, quite rustic tannins, mulberry, touch of leather, the acidity a little sharp and attacking. Course, peppery finish." Neil Martin Wine Journal tasted 2009.
Château Lynch-Bages is an iconic wine estate located in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, France. With a history dating back to the 18th century, the estate has established itself as one of the leading producers of exceptional red wines. Encompassing approximately 100 hectares, …
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Price: £179.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Clos des Quatre Vents, 1983
Margaux
The 1983 Clos des Quatre Vents from the Margaux appellation is a mature Bordeaux wine that has developed complex characteristics over the decades.
Tasting Notes:
Deep garnet with a brick-red rim. A bouquet of dried fruits such as prunes and figs, interwoven with tertiary notes of leather, tobacco, and forest floor. Subtle hints of cedar and spice add to its complexity. Medium bodied palate with softened tannins, offering flavours of stewed blackberries, earthy undertones, and a touch of savoury minerality. The finish is smooth, with lingering notes of dried herbs and a hint of mocha. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 1 in Stock
Frei Joao, 1983
Frei Joao, Bairrada
Caves S. Joao, established in 1920, became a dominant force in Portuguese wine making in the early 20th century with their houses Porta dos Cavaleiros in Dao and Frei Joao in Bairrada. Given the shifting trends in consumer preferences, Bairrada and Dao fell to obscurity in the 1990s when critical influence drove the demand for bigger, extracted, warmer climate wines. As in all things, however, what comes around goes around! Sure enough, 20 years later savvy consumers and food-conscious sommeliers are looking for finesse and freshness and heading back to Bairrada and Dao. Wines that when young had a vegetal character, …
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Price: £59.00
Stock: 12 in Stock
Nobile di Montepulciano, 1983
Fassati
Clearance Offer - Last Bottle | Was £99 | Now £75
Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita status produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano, Italy. The wine is made primarily from the Sangiovese grape varietal (known locally as Prugnolo gentile) (minimum 70%), blended with Canaiolo Nero (10%–20%) and small amounts of other local varieties such as Mammolo. The wine is aged for 2 years (at least 1 year in oak barrels); three years if it is a riserva.
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Price: £75.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Porta dos Cavaleiros, 1983
Porta dos Cavaleiros, Dao
Caves S. Joao, established in 1920, became a dominant force in Portuguese wine making in the early 20th century with their houses Porta dos Cavaleiros in Dao and Frei Joao in Bairrada. Given the shifting trends in consumer preferences, Bairrada and Dao fell to obscurity in the 1990s when critical influence drove the demand for bigger, extracted, warmer climate wines. As in all things, however, what comes around goes around! Sure enough, 20 years later savvy consumers and food-conscious sommeliers are looking for finesse and freshness and heading back to Bairrada and Dao. Wines that when young had a vegetal character, …
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 29 in Stock
Rioja, 1983
Torres Coronas Gran Reserva, Rioja
The Torres Gran Coronas Reserva 1983 is a mature and distinguished red wine from one of Spain’s most respected producers, Familia Torres. Based in the Penedès region of Catalonia, the Torres family has been crafting wines for over 150 years, with Gran Coronas standing out as one of their premium labels. The 1983 vintage is a testament to their early pioneering work with international grape varieties—most notably Cabernet Sauvignon—combined with Spain’s traditional Tempranillo, creating a complex and age-worthy blend.
As a Reserva, this wine was aged for an extended period in oak barrels and then in bottle before release, intended for cellaring and slow evolution. …
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Price: £79.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Belgrave, 1983
Haut-Medoc, 5th Growth Classification
1983 Château Belgrave – A Well-Aged Bordeaux with Classic Character
The 1983 Château Belgrave comes from a vintage that experienced a warm, dry summer followed by rain at harvest, leading to some variability across Bordeaux. As a fifth-growth estate in the Haut-Médoc, Château Belgrave is known for producing structured and elegant wines, primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, along with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The 1983 vintage initially showed good depth and tannic structure, making it a candidate for long-term aging.
Now at over 40 years old, a well-preserved bottle of 1983 Château Belgrave will have evolved into a softer, …
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Price: £49.95
Stock: Out of Stock