1986 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations:
1986 Wine – 40 Year Old Anniversary Wines
Welcome to Vintage Wine & Port’s 1986 wine collection. Now entering peak maturity, the best wines from this vintage offer beautifully developed flavours, softened tannins and the complexity that comes with four decades of careful ageing. These characteristics make 1986 wines an excellent choice for a 40th anniversary or milestone birthday gift.
In key regions such as Portugal and Bordeaux, well-made wines from 1986 have matured gracefully, with Port in particular offering rich, ready-to-drink styles and Bordeaux showing classic structure and balance. Our selection focuses on bottles from trusted producers and well-stored cellars, ensuring each wine is drinking well today.
Our Recommended Wines from 1986
Scroll down to explore our full selection. If you would like personal advice, please call us on 01425 837177 or contact us — we would be delighted to help you choose the perfect bottle.
Top Recommendation: Kopke 1986 Colheita Port
A beautifully mature single harvest tawny Port offering exceptional balance, depth and drinkability. Fully aged and ready to enjoy now, making it the most reliable choice for a 40th anniversary gift.
Best Value: Rivesaltes 1986 L’Archiviste
A wonderfully mature fortified wine offering outstanding value, with rich flavours of dried fruits, caramel and spice developed through long ageing.
Premium White Port: Quevedo 1986 White Port
A rare and distinctive aged white Port with rich, honeyed complexity and remarkable depth. A unique and memorable gift option.
Classic Portuguese Red: Porta dos Cavaleiros 1986 (Dão)
A mature Portuguese red with soft tannins and developed character, offering a different expression of the vintage while remaining ready to drink.
Fine & Rare Bordeaux: Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1986
A refined Pauillac Second Growth Bordeaux showing elegant structure, cedar and dark fruit notes
This Year in History: Fun Fact: Halley’s Comet appeared in the night sky, as it also did back in 1682, 1758, 1835, and 1910. Halley’s Comet orbits the sun every 75-76 years, and will not be seen again until 2062.
Eurovision Winner: Belgium with the song "J'aime La Vie" by Sandra Kim
Top Grossing Movie: Top Gun
Bordeaux: 1986 was a strong vintage in the northern Médoc, particularly in Pauillac and St Julien, producing structured wines that have now reached full maturity and are drinking well.
Read full Bordeaux vintage report
1986 was a great vintage for the wines produced in the northern part of Bordeaux (St Julien, Pauillac), where many estates produced deep, concentrated wines built for long ageing. What defines the 1986 vintage is its firm tannic structure, derived from well-ripened grapes that remained on the vine for extended periods before harvest. Now fully mature, these wines have softened and developed complexity, while retaining their classic character. Drinking well today, they make an excellent 40 year old wine gift for a birthday, anniversary or special celebration.
Italian: 1986 was a very good year for Italian wines, with consistent quality across key regions and some particularly fine Barolos from Piedmont. Now fully mature, these wines show developed character, softened tannins and layered complexity, and are drinking well today while still capable of ageing further.
Read full Italian vintage report
The wines produced in 1986 are generally well-balanced and have evolved gracefully over time. In Piedmont, Barolo from this vintage is especially noteworthy, offering structure, depth and classic ageing potential, with flavours of dried cherry, leather, spice and earthy notes emerging with age. Other regions also produced reliable wines, though Piedmont remains the standout. Now at full maturity, these wines display harmony and complexity, making them ideal for drinking today while still holding for a few more years.
Portugal: 1986 was a good year in Portugal, producing forward, fruit-driven Single Quinta Vintage Ports that have now reached full maturity and are drinking well. With no general declaration, wines from this year are relatively scarce, adding to their appeal as distinctive and increasingly rare bottles.
Read full Portugal vintage report
The Ports from 1986 are typically approachable and well-balanced, showing developed flavours of dried fruit, caramel and spice. Now at their peak, these wines offer immediate enjoyment without the need for further ageing. Tawny and Single Harvest (Colheita) Ports are particularly strong choices from this vintage, benefiting from extended cask ageing which enhances their smoothness, complexity and consistency. These styles offer a reliable and rewarding alternative to Vintage Port, making them ideal for a 40th birthday or anniversary gift.
36 products found.
Burmester
40 Year Old 'TORDIZ' Tawny Port in Gift Tube
IWSC (2025) - Gold Award
*** Gold Medal at the 2025 International Wine Challenge ***
Bright brown colour, with greenish nuances. Presents a bouquet with intense aromas of dried fruits, delicate spices notes and a sweet touch of honey. In the taste it is full, unctuous and velvety. This wine overflows seduction and an enormous refinement. A feeling that is extended in the long and complex finish.
This 40-year-old wine owes its name, Tordiz, to the confluence of the Torto and Mendiz rivers. It is obtained from wines that have been carefully aged in small oak casks and later blended in a small upstanding oak vat dating from 1864. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 7 in Stock
Kopke, 1986
Colheita Port in Gift Box
Was £139 Special Offer £109
1986 Kopke Colheita Port
The 1986 Kopke Colheita Port is drawn from a single harvest and matured for decades in seasoned oak casks before bottling, allowing time to shape its balance and complexity. Kopke’s long tradition of extended wood ageing is clearly expressed here, delivering a Colheita of elegance, precision and depth.
Tasting Notes:
Warm amber-tawny in colour with copper highlights, the nose is layered and inviting. Aromas of dried fig, sultana and orange peel intertwine with notes of toasted almond, caramel and subtle spice. On the palate it is smooth and harmonious, with a silky texture supported by fresh acidity that keeps the wine vibrant. …
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Price: £109.00
Stock: 15 in Stock
Maynard's Port
40 Year Old Tawny Port
Multiple Award Winner
Please note that due to weight restrictions, we cannot dispatch this particular item to the United States, Australia or New Zealand. Apologies for any inconvenience this causes.
*** IWC Gold award Winner ***
*** 90 Points Decanter ***
*** 93 Points Wine Spectator ***
Rated as outstanding by Wine Spectator and receiving the International Wine Challenge gold award, this amazing 40-Year Tawny Port is now available again in the UK through VWP!
Named after the first established English Port wine shipper in Oporto, Walter Maynard, this aged Port has been stored in a barrel for over 40 years until it was bottled for us. …
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Price: £79.95
Stock: 12 in Stock
Palmer Port
40 Year Old Tawny Port
Tasting Notes: The Palmer 40 Year tawny is a careful blend of many traditional grape varieties from selected vineyards in various areas of the Douro Demarcated Region, patiently aged to resemble the taste of a port that was aged for 40 years in old oak casks. The 40 Year old has a pronounced aroma intensity that is very rich with nuts and baked cherry. There is further complexity of nutmeg and cream. On the palate the wine is very balanced between acidity and sweetness that gives a luxurious mouthfeel. Lovely richness of fruitcake, fig, baked plum, caramel and toffee. There are also notes of plum, cherry, cooked strawberry. …
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Price: £84.95
Stock: 5 in Stock
Quevedo, 1986
White Colheita Port
Exclusive - New stock arriving shortly - available for pre-order for delivery early April
Quevedo 1986 White Colheita Port
The Quevedo 1986 White Colheita Port is an exceptionally rare and characterful wine from the Douro Valley. Produced from traditional white grape varieties and aged in seasoned oak casks for decades, it represents one of the most intriguing and least commonly encountered styles of aged Port.
Unlike many historic Port houses that matured their wines in Vila Nova de Gaia, the Quevedo family have long aged their Colheitas at the family winery in São João da Pesqueira in the Douro Valley, where the warmer inland climate encourages a distinctive style of oxidative ageing. …
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Price: £195.00
Stock: 50 in Stock
Quevedo
40 Year Old Tawny Port in Gift Box
95 Points - Wine Enthusiast
New Stock arriving soon please allow 10 days for delivery
Quevedo 40 Year Old Tawny Port), Gift Box
95 Points – Wine Enthusiast
The Quevedo 40 Year Old Tawny Port is an exceptional and rare expression, representing decades of careful ageing and blending in seasoned oak casks. It captures the depth, concentration and elegance that define the finest aged tawnies.
The nose is intensely complex and captivating, with aromas of dried fig, walnut and almond, layered with notes of caramel, honey and orange peel. Subtle hints of spice, tobacco and polished wood add remarkable depth, reflecting its long maturation.
On the palate, the wine is rich and seamless, with a silky, almost weightless texture that belies its concentration. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 12 in Stock
Quinta da Devesa
40 Year Old White Port in Gift Box
50cl Bottle
WAS £89.95 Spacial Offer £74.95
92 Points- Wine Advocate
The Quinta da Devesa 40-Year-Old White Port is a rare and distinguished expression from the Douro Valley, showcasing the estate's dedication to traditional winemaking and sustainable viticulture. Crafted from a blend of indigenous white grape varieties, including Côdega de Larinho, Rabigato, and Malvasia Fina, this port is aged in oak casks for an average of 40 years, resulting in a complex and refined profile.
In the glass, it exhibits a golden white colour with slightly greenish hues. The nose is rich and layered, offering aromas of orange, vanilla, wood, nut, and honey. On the palate, it is full and fresh, with notes of dried fruit, caramel, and spices, culminating in a long, sweet, and vanilla finish. …
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Price: £74.95
Stock: 31 in Stock
Quinta da Devesa
40 Year Old Tawny Port in Gift Box
75cl Bottle
94 Points - Wine Advocate
The Quinta da Devesa 40-Year-Old Tawny Port is a distinguished expression from the Douro Valley, reflecting the estate's dedication to traditional winemaking and sustainable viticulture. Crafted from a blend of indigenous grape varieties, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão, this tawny port is aged in oak casks for an average of 40 years, resulting in a complex and refined profile.
In the glass, it exhibits a deep mahogany hue with amber reflections. The nose is rich and layered, offering aromas of dried fruits, honey, balsam, cloves, shaved ginger, fig, and marjoram. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 54 in Stock
Rivesaltes, 1986
Rivesaltes Riveyac VDN - Fortified Sweet Wine.
1986 Riveyac – Rivesaltes VDN
Produced in the warm Mediterranean vineyards of Roussillon, the 1986 Riveyac Rivesaltes is a traditional Vin Doux Naturel, fortified during fermentation to preserve natural sweetness and then matured slowly to develop depth and complexity. Domaine Riveyac follows classic regional methods, allowing extended ageing to shape the wine’s character while retaining freshness and balance.
Tasting Notes:
Bright amber in colour with copper highlights, the nose is inviting and layered, showing aromas of dried apricot, sultana and orange peel intertwined with notes of toasted almond, caramel and soft baking spice. …
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Price: £79.50
Stock: 47 in Stock
Rivesaltes, 1986
Rivesaltes L'Archiviste VDN - Fortified Sweet Wine.
1986 Rivesaltes L’Archiviste
Produced in the warm Mediterranean vineyards of Roussillon, the 1986 Rivesaltes L’Archiviste is a traditional Vin Doux Naturel, fortified to preserve natural sweetness and matured slowly to develop richness and oxidative complexity. The “L’Archiviste” selection highlights the benefits of extended ageing, allowing the wine to gain depth while retaining balance and freshness.
Tasting Notes:
Deep amber-mahogany in colour with copper highlights, the nose is richly expressive, revealing aromas of dried fig, orange peel and sultana layered with notes of toasted walnut, caramel and warm baking spice. …
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Price: £79.95
Stock: 48 in Stock
Toro Albalá, 1986
DON PX
Magnum Bottle 1.5L
Don PX 1986 (Magnum) from Bodegas Toro Albalá is a monumental example of aged Pedro Ximénez, drawn from a single harvest and matured for decades in American oak casks. Made in Montilla-Moriles, Spain’s historic heartland for PX, this wine represents the estate’s commitment to time-honoured methods—sun-drying the grapes before long, oxidative ageing. Bottled in magnum format, it offers exceptional longevity, concentration, and a slow evolution that enhances both aromatic depth and palate complexity.
The appearance is striking: near-black with a dense, molasses-like texture that clings to the glass. …
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Price: £169.00
Stock: 7 in Stock
Messias
40 Year Old Tawny Port in Gift Tube
93 Points Mark Squires - Wine Advocate
A benchmark 40-year-old tawny from Caves Messias, this port is a showcase of expert ageing and blending. It strikes an exceptional balance between maturity and vibrancy, offering rich oxidative character without becoming overly woody or tired. Ideal for sipping slowly and savouring its nuanced depth, this is a connoisseur’s tawny with remarkable poise.
Tasting Notes:
Messias 40 Year Old Tawny Port is a deeply complex and elegant fortified wine, showing a brilliant amber-brown hue with golden reflections. The nose is intensely aromatic, offering layers of dried figs, toasted almonds, orange peel, vanilla, and aged oak. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 34 in Stock
Messias
40 Year Old White Port in Gift Tube
50cl Bottle
The Messias 40 Year Old White Port showcases a remarkable light amber colour with hints of mahogany. The nose unfolds with layers of complexity, offering rich aromas of caramelized nuts, and apricot, interwoven with delicate notes of vanilla bean and aged honey. On the palate, it’s an indulgent experience, with flavours of rich butterscotch, and toasted almonds. The wine’s age is evident in its silky texture and extraordinary depth, while a vibrant acidity provides balance and freshness. The finish is long and opulent, with a lingering sweetness and a touch of spice that leaves a memorable, luxurious impression. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 3 in Stock
Quinta Das Carvalhas
40 Year Old Tawny Port in Gift Tube
Special Offer | Was £129 | Now £99
Offer ends Friday the 3rd of April
The Quinta das Carvalhas 40 Year Old Tawny Port is not just a wine; it’s an experience. Whether you're gifting it to someone special or indulging in it yourself, this wine promises to deliver a memorable and luxurious tasting experience that reflects the very best of what the Douro Valley has to offer.
Tasting notes
Deep amber colour with a golden rim. A a luxurious blend of complex aromas, including hints of honey, nutmeg, vanilla, and subtle oak, all of which are indicative of its lengthy aging process. A 40 Year Old Tawny that boasts intense flavours of dried fruits like figs and apricots, alongside notes of toasted almonds, caramel, and rich spices. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 41 in Stock
Chateau Climens, 1986
Barsac, 1st Growth
Sweet White Wine
1986 Château Climens is a rare and exquisitely preserved Barsac, showcasing the estate’s hallmark purity, finesse and near-magical ability to age. Now approaching four decades in bottle, it has developed a glorious golden-amber hue that shimmers with depth and concentration—classic of long-matured Sémillon from this iconic Premier Cru.
The nose is extraordinarily complex and beautifully evolved. Layers of candied citrus peel, apricot tart and quince jelly merge with notes of honeycomb, saffron, toasted almond and crème brûlée. Subtle hints of chamomile, polished wood and dried pineapple bring an exotic lift, reflecting the wine’s slow, graceful maturation. …
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Price: £139.00
Stock: 9 in Stock
Chateau d'Yquem, 1986
Sauternes 1er Grand Cru Classe
Château d'Yquem is considered by many to be Bordeaux’s single greatest wine and it is the only wine in France to hold the Premier Cru Superieur (Great First Growth) designation. The uncompromising pursuit of quality is what sets this sweet white wine apart – a standard meticulously maintained throughout the estate’s history.
Chateau d`Yquem is often described as the greatest sweet wine in the world. After centuries of family ownership, Yquem was finally sold in acrimonious circumstances to Louis Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy in 1999. However, its former owner and director Alexandre de Lur-Saluce remains in charge. …
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Price: £385.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal, 1986
Pauillac 5th Growth Classification
Château Haut-Bages Libéral, 1986
Pauillac – Fifth Growth (5ème Grand Cru Classé), Bordeaux
The 1986 vintage in Bordeaux is remembered for producing structured, long-lived wines, particularly on the Left Bank. A warm summer followed by a fine, dry harvest allowed Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen slowly and fully, resulting in wines with firm tannins, excellent concentration and impressive ageing potential. Nearly four decades on, the best examples are now entering a rewarding stage of maturity.
Château Haut-Bages Libéral 1986 shows the classic character of Pauillac. The bouquet offers mature aromas of blackcurrant, cedarwood and tobacco, with secondary notes of leather, forest floor and subtle spice developed through long bottle ageing. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Chateau Lynch-Bages, 1986
Pauillac 5me Cru Classe, Bordeaux 94 Points - Parker
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, the vineyard benefits from gravelly soils and a maritime climate, ideal for cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes. Château Lynch-Bages's wines are celebrated for their power, depth, and aging potential, exhibiting rich fruit flavors, robust tannins, and a distinct Pauillac character. …
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Price: £249.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Meyney, 1986
St Estephe, Cru Grand Bourgeois Exceptional
Half Bottle
Château Meyney, located in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux, has a history dating back to the 17th century. The 1986 vintage, now approaching four decades of maturity, offers a unique opportunity to experience the evolution of this esteemed estate's offerings.
Tasting Profile
Over the years, the 1986 Château Meyney has developed a nuanced profile. Tasting notes from 2023 describe the wine as having very mature fruit, soft tannins, a lighter body, and a smooth finish. While the fruit has faded, it remains a pleasant old Bordeaux. Another review highlights aromas reminiscent of an old humidor, leather, prunes, and cedar, suggesting the wine is probably just past its peak. …
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Price: £62.95
Stock: 16 in Stock
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1986
Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classe
100 Points - Robert Parker
Château Mouton Rothschild, 1986
Pauillac – Premier Grand Cru Classé
The 1986 vintage in Bordeaux is regarded as one of the most structured and age-worthy of the decade, particularly on the Left Bank. In Pauillac, Cabernet Sauvignon thrived, producing wines of formidable tannic backbone, depth and longevity. Château Mouton Rothschild, elevated to First Growth status in 1973, crafted a 1986 that is often cited among the standout wines of the vintage — powerful, concentrated and built for extended ageing.
Known for its opulent style and meticulous selection, Mouton in 1986 combined richness with structure, delivering a wine that has evolved steadily over the decades while retaining impressive vitality. …
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Price: £795.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Chateau Musar, 1986
Bekaar Valley, Gaston Hochar
This rare 1986 Musar is a blend of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and Carignan from this well-known and highly regarded Lebanese winery.
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. Musar has assumed legendary status. Complex, long-lived and endlessly varied, in some vintages it seems more like a Burgundy, in others a Bordeaux, in still others a Hermitage. But it is always brilliantly, uniquely, Lebanese. Ages magnificently but good vintages are usually best at 10-20 years old. …
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Price: £245.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 1986
Pauillac 2me Cru Classe
96 Points - Wine Journal
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 1986
Pauillac 2ème Cru Classé
A refined and beautifully mature Pauillac, the 1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a superb example of this highly regarded Second Growth at full maturity. Known for its elegance and finesse, Pichon Lalande offers a more graceful and aromatic expression of Pauillac, and the 1986 vintage has now evolved into a wine of remarkable complexity and balance.
Tasting Notes
Deep garnet in colour with a softened rim, the nose is expressive and layered, offering aromas of blackcurrant, cedar and cigar box alongside notes of dried flowers, leather and spice. …
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Price: £269.00
Stock: 12 in Stock
Chateau Rieussec, 1986
Sauternes
1986 Château Rieussec is a beautifully evolved Sauternes from one of the appellation’s most respected Premier Cru estates. Nearly four decades on, it has reached a point of extraordinary harmony, displaying a deep amber-gold colour that reflects both concentration and graceful ageing.
The bouquet is opulent and layered, opening with aromas of marmalade, dried apricot, quince paste and honeyed pineapple. Beneath the fruit lie richer notes of crème caramel, toasted hazelnut, saffron and sweet spice, along with a subtle smokiness that comes from long bottle maturation. It’s a nose that continues to unfold with air, offering new nuances at every turn. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Chateau Trotte Vielle, 1986
St Emilion Premiere Grand cru Classe
The Château Trotte Vieille 1986 is a wine from the Saint-Émilion appellation in Bordeaux, France. This estate is classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé (B) and is known for producing elegant and age-worthy wines that reflect its historic terroir. The 1986 vintage was more celebrated on the Left Bank but still yielded intriguing wines on the Right Bank, particularly for producers with meticulous vineyard management.
Wine Overview
Château Trotte Vieille is known for its classic Bordeaux blends, and the 1986 vintage is likely composed of:
Cabernet Franc (dominant): Contributing structure, floral aromatics, and herbal notes. …
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Price: £79.95
Stock: 1 in Stock
Graham's
40 Year Old Tawny Port- New Edition
Decanter (DWWA 2025) Gold
Graham's 40 Year Old Tawny. A truly remarkable wine cared for across generations. A great testament to the arts of blending, cooperage, and ageing. Aged for an average of 40 years in seasoned oak casks, our 40 Year Old Tawny is a testament to time and patience. Composed of wines put aside generations ago, this is an incredible wine with an amazingly long finish, indicating both its age and immense quality.
Graham's 40 Years Old Tawny is made from wines of the very highest quality which, following careful selection, are matured in seasoned oak casks of until their peak of maturity is reached. …
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Price: £179.00
Stock: 2 in Stock