1996 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port's 1996 wine page. Read on for our summary of the 1996 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 1996 year was, overall, fantastic for much of Europe, and particularly France. Bordeaux had an incredible vintage for both dry reds and whites and Sauternes. In Italy, Piedmont enjoyed a dazzling year. For drinking now, look to Bordeaux, Sauternes, Burgundy or Barolo. There should still be a wide range of exceptional options still drinking well now to choose from. Any of these 1996 vintage would make a fabulous gift for an 30th Anniversary or 30th Birthday this year!
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: Fun Fact: The Hubble Space Telescope revealed images of Pluto’s surface for the first time.
Eurovision Winner: Ireland with the song "The Voice" by Eimar Quinn
Top Grossing Movie: Independence Day
Bordeaux: The 1996 vintage produced exceptional wines that broke all price records (until the 2000 vintage). The top wines reached full maturity a decade ago, but will keep for many more years.
Champagne: A dry summer with long bursts of sunshine produced a very high quality harvest of slightly above average size.
Italian: 1996 was an outstanding vintage for Italian wines. In Piedmont, tricky weather all summer yielded to a period of hot and dry weather from mid-September through to mid-October. This enabled the late-ripening Nebbiolo to achieve a classic balance between fruit and structure. The best Barolos and Barbarescos are substantial on the palate and give every indication of a long life ahead, offering a superlative drinking experience if kept well. Like Piedmont, Tuscany had a cooler than average summer and this enabled a long, slow ripening of the grapes. The wines are richly aromatic, deeply coloured and abundantly fruity.
Portugal: Although 1996 was one of the wettest years for port on record, the Douro region produced a large, abundant crop. The year was not declared as a Vintage, however a few good port wines were produced which are noted for being fruity and forward. A wonderful gift for a 30th Birthday or Anniversary this year!
Sauternes: Bordeaux had an incredible vintage for both dry reds and whites and Sauternes. The shining stars of could mostly, bar the odd exception, be found among the Left Bank estates.
Spain: A very good vintage for Spain, though less fine than the preceding two. The 1996 was particularly successful in Ribera del Duero, where ripe, relatively friendly wines were made.
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Chateau Pavie Macquin, 1996
St. Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux
The Château Pavie Macquin 1996 is a wine from Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, produced by an estate renowned for its focus on terroir-driven, expressive wines. Though the 1996 vintage was more celebrated on the Left Bank due to favorable conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, the Right Bank, with its Merlot-dominated blends, also produced wines of finesse and structure, particularly from estates like Pavie Macquin, known for meticulous vineyard management.
Wine Overview
Château Pavie Macquin is classified as a Premier Grand Cru Classé (B) and is known for its concentrated and age-worthy wines. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 5 in Stock
Chateau Siran, 1996
Margaux Cru Bourgeois
From the very good 1996 vintage this Chateau Siran has a beautiful mature bouquet with black currants, tobacco and bitterness. Juicy, good sweet and bitterness. The aftertaste is not extremely long, but has good sweetness and even some good tannin. Although completely mature there is some power left and this wine is a true pleasure to drink.
About Château Siran, Chateau Siran is nestled in the heart of the Margaux appellation within Bordeaux, France, is a historic estate renowned for its elegant wines and rich heritage. With a history dating back to the 17th century, this picturesque property has been meticulously tended by generations of the Miailhe family, who have upheld a tradition of excellence in winemaking. …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Ferreira
Ferreira `Dona Antónia` 30-Year-Old Tawny Port
Decanter Presented In Gift Box
***95 Points-GOLD- Decanter World Wine Awards***
***95 Points- GOLD MEDAL- IWC 2024***
The Dona Antonia 30-Year-Old Tawny Port by Ferreira is a luxurious and complex wine, showcasing the mastery of the tawny port-making craft.
Tasting Notes
This luxurious and complex wine shows rich and inviting aromas with a blend of dried fruit, nutty aromas, and wood notes. On the palate, it has a velvety texture and a symphony of flavors, with layers of caramelized sugar, toffee, honeyed sweetness, and dark chocolate.The finish is long and lingering, with the wine's myriad flavors unfolding gradually and leaving a lasting impression. Subtle echoes of dried fruit, nuts, and spices linger on the palate, inviting contemplation and reflection. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Justino's Madeira, 1996
Justino's - Tinta Negra Madeira
The wine has a dark amber color with a lucid and consistent yellow edge. More than a Marsala, the impact of the aroma is like a great Viccotto from the Marche region, although it is much finer. The bouquet has less caramel and is less volatile with more notes of prune, dried fruit and bitter coffee. The mouthfeel is sweet and caramel-like with notes of black tea and coffee, while the finish is invigorated by a distinct acidity.
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Price: £59.95
Stock: 37 in Stock
Primo Estate, 1996
Joseph- La Magia- Botrytis Riesling
Colour:
Deep golden amber
Aroma:
Honey, marmalade, dried apricot and citrus peel, with possible tertiary notes such as toffee, ginger spice or lightly oxidative orange rind depending on storage. High acidity in Riesling often preserves vibrant fruit even as the wine ages.
Palate:
Sweet but balanced — honeyed citrus and ripe stone fruit wrapped in sweet botrytis richness, supported by refreshing acidity. With 25+ years, tertiary flavours like fig, marmalade reduction, nutty complexity can develop.
Finish:
Long, warming and elegant.
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Price: £34.95
Stock: 1 in Stock
Quinta de la Rosa, 1996
Vintage Port
Quinta de La Rosa is a small estate in the heart of the Port wine-growing region in Alto Douro, near Pinhao, owned and operated by the Bergqvist family.
The Quinta and its vineyards were given to the Bergqvist family as a Christening present by the Feuerheerds, who established the property in 1906.
It remains one of the few Single Quinta where the vineyards start at the bank of the Douro and rise 450 meters to the towering top of the mountain. From the river's edge to the top, one passes through 11 different microclimates. This gives La Rosa great flexibility to add variety and complexity to its Ports. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 16 in Stock
Quinta do Noval Nacional, 1996
Vintage Port
This wine is a mysterious phenomenon, a magical wine produced in extremely limited quantities and only in a few years each decade. It is the expression of a terroir and confirms something that is for me a deeply held belief. The Nacional is great because of the grapes and where they come from, not because of anything particular that we do. It has a unique personality, an extraordinary intensity and, even after many years of ageing, retains an astonishing youthfulness.
Learn more about Quinta do Noval
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Price: £995.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Quinta do Vesuvio, 1996
Vintage Port
Quinta do Vesuvio never fails to impress and their 1996 Vintage Port showcases all the characteristic weight and depth of the Symingtons' best single property: The palate reveals excellent richness, layers of flavour, well-balanced tannin, and a persistent, satisfying finish. Intense and ample, it should drink well for the next years to 2025.
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 7 in Stock
Sanford, 1996
Pinot Noir, Rita Hills, Santa Barbara
A long, moderate growing season allowed for even ripening of the fruit resulting in a wine with soft, ripe tannins and wonderful balance. This impressive Pinot Noir offers wild strawberry fruit, cola, clove spice, a hint of black pepper, and just the right touch of toasty oak. Now fully mature, this wine would not benefit from further ageing.
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Price: £79.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Maynard's Port
30 Year Old Tawny Port 97 points Decanter Platinum Award
Maynard’s 30 Year Old Tawny Port
A classic, long-aged Tawny from the Van Zeller family (Barão de Vilar), bottled under the Maynard’s label. Blended from old cask reserves to an average age of 30 years, it delivers the quintessential Tawny profile: elegance, sweetness in check, and layered rancio complexity.
Style & Maturity: Indicated Age Tawny (avg. 30 years in old oak); fully mature, cask-aged complexity.
Colour: Deep amber-tawny with a burnished rim; brilliant, syrupy legs.
Nose: Dried fig and apricot, orange peel, walnut and almond brittle; toffee, caramel, vanilla pod, coffee bean and warm spice (cinnamon/nutmeg). …
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Price: £59.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Bordeaux, 1996
Chateau Lavignère- Saint-Emilion
Vintage & Background
The 1996 vintage in Bordeaux combined moderate weather with periods of warmth and ripening that favoured balanced wines with both structure and longevity. While Saint‑Émilion experiences some vintage variation across producers, wines from this year generally offer evolved complexity with tertiary development. Château Lavignère, a traditional Saint‑Émilion estate, typifies the right‑bank style of predominantly Merlot and Cabernet Franc that softens and harmonises attractively with age.
Appearance & Nose
In the glass the wine likely shows garnet with brick‑tinged edges, signalling its maturity. …
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Price: £45.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateau Lamothe Guignard, 1996
Sauternes
The 1996 Château Lamothe-Guignard from Sauternes is a beautiful representation of a classic sweet Bordeaux, known for its balance of sweetness, acidity, and rich flavors. This vintage saw favorable weather conditions that allowed for the development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), essential for creating the complex, honeyed character that Sauternes wines are celebrated for.
In the glass, this 1996 Lamothe-Guignard shows a rich golden hue, which has deepened over the years. On the nose, it opens with aromas of ripe apricot, honey, and tropical fruit, layered with notes of vanilla, almond, and a hint of spice. …
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Price: £39.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Chateauneuf du Pape, 1996
Domaine Vieux Telegraphe "la Crau", Rhone
Very bin soiled labels
The 1996 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe "La Crau", from the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation in the Southern Rhône, is a classic and well-regarded wine. Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe is one of the most iconic producers in the region, and their La Crau bottling, sourced from the rocky plateau of the same name, is known for its power, depth, and aging potential.
Vintage Overview
1996 Rhône Vintage: A cooler, less consistent vintage in the Rhône, with better results in the Southern Rhône than in the north. Wines from this vintage tend to emphasize finesse, balance, and elegance rather than power. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Dow's, 1996
30 Year Old Tawny Port
Dows 30 Year Old Tawny Port has coppery-amber tones framed by a pale orange-green rim, this wine has saline scents alongside elegant floral notes and a touch of cinnamon. Luxurious and silky on the palate, Dow’s 30 Year Old Tawny is extremely refined with flavours of quince and citrus and a stylish, lingering dry finish with nuances of tea leaf.
Dow’s Port is one of the most famous names in the Port trade and today is owned and managed by the fifth generation of the Symington family. The family, whose experience dates back over 100 years, supervises all the vineyards, winemaking and ageing of this wine. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Elderton, 1996
Golden Semillon
Colour:
Deep golden amber from both botrytis/late-harvest richness and age.
Nose:
Ripe, sweet aromas of melted butter, tangerine, orange liqueur, honey, and candied citrus with hints of marmalade and apricot. Exceptional purity with a rich, luscious perfume.
Palate:
Sweet and unctuous, with thick fruit and sweetness balanced by vibrant acidity — marmalade, honeyed citrus, dried pear and apricot flavours. The acidity prevents the wine from being cloying and gives it structure even in maturity.
Finish:
Long, juicy and perfumed, with lingering marmalade and candied citrus notes.
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Price: £24.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Fonseca Port, 1996
Quinta do Panascal
1996 Fonseca Quinta do Panascal Vintage Port
Quinta do Panascal is one of Fonseca’s most celebrated estates in the Douro Valley, known for producing richly expressive single-quinta Vintage Ports. The 1996 vintage, while not a universally declared year, produced attractive and well-balanced wines at estate level, and this Panascal bottling now shows over two decades of graceful development.
Tasting Notes:
Deep ruby-garnet in colour with the first signs of maturity at the rim, the nose is inviting and aromatic, offering notes of ripe blackberry, cassis and dark plum layered with hints of violets, cedarwood and sweet spice. …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: Out of Stock
Graham's Port
30 Year-Old Tawny Port
In original Graham's gift tube as illustrated
The Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny Port is a masterpiece of aged Port craftsmanship. Unlike Vintage Ports, which spend only a short time in oak barrels before bottling, Tawny Ports like Graham's 30 Year Old are aged for three decades or more in seasoned oak casks. This extended aging allows the wine to develop a mellow and harmonious character, with flavors integrating and evolving over time.
Tasting notes
The Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny Port is a mesmerizing amber wine with gold glimmers, hinting at its decades-long oak casks. Its aromas are delicate, with layers of un-drenched raisins, succulent figs, and caramelized dates taking center stage. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Old Penola Estate, 1996
Gewurztraminer Botrytis
Produced by Old Penola Estate in Coonawarra, South Australia, this 1996 Gewurztraminer was made in a botrytised dessert-wine style, an uncommon expression for the region better known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Sourced from cool-climate vineyards, it reflects a small-production, experimental approach typical of boutique Coonawarra producers in the 1990s. A rare surviving example of mature Australian botrytis wine.
Deep golden amber in colour. Intensely aromatic, showing classic Gewurztraminer notes of lychee, rose petal and spice, layered with botrytis-driven honey, marmalade and dried apricot. …
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Price: £49.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Sandeman
30 Year Old Tawny Port
***95 Points- Gold- Decanter 2024***
***96 Points GOLD Award- IWC 2024***
Presented in Sandeman Gift Box
Sandeman is a regular IWC and Decanter World Wine Awards Gold- and Trophy-winner for its supremely refined tawnies. A premium aged tawny port, meticulously crafted and aged in oak casks for an average of 30 years.
Tasting Notes
The Sandeman 30 Year Old Tawny Port is of a deep amber amber colour with intense aromas of honey and spices, underscored with deep flavours of dried apricots, hazelnuts and vanilla, creating a rich yet elegant combination. Luxuriously smooth and well-balanced on the palate, this is offering a harmonious blend of dried fruits, nuts, and caramel flavours. …
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Price: £79.95
Stock: Out of Stock
Warre's Vintage Port, 1996
Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port
*** 91 Points - Robert Parker ***
Warre's Quinta da Cavadinha is one of the finest vineyards (all 'A' graded) in the Pinhao valley, one of the Upper Douro's finest Port-growing regions. In declared vintage years, the best wines from Cavadinha are used as the principal component of Warre's Vintages. In other good years a limited quantity of the Quinta's wines are set aside for bottling after two years in cask. As with true vintage port, Quinta da Cavadinha is bottled without any fining or filtration and therefore should be decanted before drinking. It will also continue to age in the bottle for at least 15 years and often much longer. …
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Price: £79.95
Stock: Out of Stock