1946 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: The 1946 vintage sits in the shadow of the great post-war 1945s and reflects the realities of Europe rebuilding after WWII. Vineyards across France, Portugal and Italy were still recovering from neglect, shortages of labour and limited cellar resources. Weather patterns were mixed and, although there were workable harvests, careful selection and modern winemaking refinements were often impossible — so overall quality was uneven.
In Bordeaux, 1946 produced wines that were generally light, modestly structured and often lacking concentration. A few Right Bank estates and the occasional Sauternes showed some charm, but most bottles are now long past their best and of interest mainly for historical curiosity. In the Douro, 1946 was not declared a Vintage Port year; quality was serviceable rather than exceptional, with producers focusing more on wood-aged stocks than bottle-matured vintages. Any surviving bottlings tend to be delicate and fragile.
Across Italy, results were mixed but sometimes more promising, especially in Piedmont where Nebbiolo’s natural acidity gave structure and longevity to a handful of good Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Tuscany and other regions were more variable, often producing lighter and rustic styles. Overall, 1946 is a vintage of context rather than glory — but with impeccable provenance, a bottle from this year carries wonderful historical significance and can make a thoughtful gift for an 80th birthday or anniversary.
This Year in History: Fun Fact: London Heathrow Airport opened fully for civilian use.
Born in this Year: Michael Rosen, Children's Author, children's author and poet who penned well over a hundred books. He earned an M.A. in Children's Literature from the University of Reading in 1993 and went on to receive a Ph.D. from the University of North London. He published his first book of children's poetry, Mind Your Own Business, in 1974.
Top Grossing Movie: Song of the South
Bordeaux: The 1946 Bordeaux wine vintage was always going to be in the shadow of the legend that was the 1945. Nevertheless, 1946 holds up a a very good vintage.
Portugal: The 1946 port vintage is considered to have produced good quality ports, but no producer declared the year; the quality of the following vintage would have become clear already.
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10 products found.
Quinta da Devesa
80 Year Very Very Old Tawny Port in Gift Case
WAS £595 New Year Sale Offer £495
Quinta da Devesa 80 Year Aged Tawny Port
The Quinta da Devesa 80 Year Old Tawny Port is a profoundly rare and monumental expression of aged fortified wine, representing nearly a century of patient maturation in seasoned oak casks. Composed of some of the oldest and most treasured lots in the estate’s cellars, this extraordinary tawny embodies the essence of time, tradition, and the enduring artistry of Douro winemaking.
Drawn from a blend of wines aged for an average of 80 years, this Port reveals a deep amber-brown hue with olive-green undertones—an unmistakable visual hallmark of great age. …
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Price: £495.00
Stock: 10 in Stock
Quinta da Devesa
80 Year Very Very Old White Port in Gift Case
WAS £625 New Year Sale Offer £545
The Quinta da Devesa 80 Year Old White Port is an extraordinary testament to the longevity and grace of white port, offering a profound glimpse into a century of patient ageing and artisanal dedication. A blend of exceptionally rare and ancient white ports aged in seasoned oak casks for an average of eight decades, this release reflects the pinnacle of Quinta da Devesa’s slow-oxidative philosophy and their mastery in curating old stocks of singular quality.
Composed from traditional Douro white grape varieties such as Côdega, Viosinho, Rabigato, and Gouveio, this wine has evolved over time into a layered and deeply complex expression. …
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Price: £545.00
Stock: 5 in Stock
Rivesaltes, 1946
Cave de Rivesaltes, Rivesaltes VDN - Fortified Sweet Wine.
1946 Cave de Rivesaltes, Rivesaltes – Vin Doux Naturel
An extraordinary and historic Vin Doux Naturel from the immediate post-war vintage, this 1946 Cave de Rivesaltes stands as a testament to the longevity and depth of the great fortified wines of Roussillon. Produced from Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Macabeu, this wine was fortified during fermentation to retain natural sweetness, then aged for decades in old oak casks within the cool cellars of the Rivesaltes cooperative — one of France’s most respected centres for traditional VDN production.
In the glass, it gleams a deep amber-mahogany with glowing copper highlights. …
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Price: £245.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Rivesaltes, 1946
Rivesaltes, Domaine La Sobilane, Rivesaltes VDN - Fortified Sweet Wine.
Special Offer | Was £195 | Now £149
Rivesaltes 1946 – Domaine La Sobilane, Vin Doux Naturel
The 1946 Rivesaltes from Domaine La Sobilane stands as a remarkable relic of post-war French winemaking. Crafted in the heart of Roussillon, this fortified Vin Doux Naturel was produced under challenging conditions when resources were scarce but tradition prevailed. Aged patiently in old oak casks for decades, it reflects both the endurance of the domaine and the resilience of a region rebuilding after wartime hardship.
In the glass, it shows a deep mahogany hue with glints of amber and olive at the rim — the signature patina of long oxidative ageing. …
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 12 in Stock
Kopke
80 Year Tawny Port
Kopke 80 Year Old Tawny Port stands as one of the rarest and most extraordinary expressions ever released by the world’s oldest Port house. Drawn from a tiny treasury of casks quietly ageing in Vila Nova de Gaia for nearly a century, it embodies the very essence of time: concentrated, intricate, and profoundly moving. Every drop reflects generations of careful stewardship, where evaporation, oxidation and patience have shaped a wine of unparalleled depth.
In the glass, it reveals a mesmerising mahogany core with glints of greenish-gold at the rim — a classic marker of extreme cask age. The nose is breathtakingly complex: layers of walnut husk, …
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Price: £695.00
Stock: 4 in Stock
Quinta Das Carvalhas
80 Year Old Tawny Port The Impressionist
RRP £890
Launch Offer £750
This 80 Year Old Tawny Port is an exquisite and rare port, representing the pinnacle of aged tawny port. Produced by Quinta das Carvalhas, one of the most prestigious estates in the Douro Valley, this port is known for its remarkable complexity, depth, and refinement.
Tasting Notes
With a deep amber colour and greenish hues, the aroma is intense and remarkably complex, with notes of dried fruits, candied orange, spices, exotic wood and a hint of varnish. On the palate, it is generous and silky, with a profound sweetness perfectly balanced by a vibrant acidity. Despite its great concentration and a long persistent finish, this Port stands out for its elegance. …
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Price: £750.00
Stock: 6 in Stock
Baron de Lustrac, 1946
Vintage Armagnac
In original Wooden Gift Box
A rare 1946 vintage Armagnac from Baron de Lustrac.
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.
Produced in the traditional style on copper pot stills and aged in a combination of oak barrels and glass bonbons, Baron de Lustrac produce some of France`s finest vintage bottlings.
This 1946 vintage would make the perfect birthday gift for fans of fine Brandy.
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Price: £925.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Baron de Sigognac, 1946
Vintage Armagnac
In original Wooden Gift Box
Baron de Sigognac 1946 Vintage Armagnac has a beautiful amber colour with golden highlights. It has a rich and elegant nose of orange flowers, Agen prunes and cinnamon. The mouth opens to the superb perfumes of candied fruit, fat and strong with a lovely long finish of roasted almonds and wood.
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Price: £895.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Graham's Port
Grahams 80 Year Old Tawny Port
THE WINE
Building on more than 200 years of winemaking experience, our Aged Tawny Ports are an homage to the craftsmanship and time-honoured skills, handed down across generations, that go in to producing each bottle. This extraordinary wine is our tribute to the profound value of patience. Having spent decades ageing in seasoned oak casks, crossing generations, this special port has developed an extraordinary profile of unparalleled elegance.
Our Head Winemaker and Master Blender, Charles Symington (4th generation), blended this 80 Year Old Tawny Port to mark the 80th birthday of his father and
predecessor, Peter Symington (3rd generation), and celebrate his distinguished career. …
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Price: £1,650.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Taylor Fladgate
Taylor's 80 Year Old Victory Port
80 Year Old Tawny Port
Taylor's 80 Year Old Victory Port
An extraordinary testament to eight decades of ageing, Taylor’s Victory Port is a very rare Tawny Port of exceptional quality, matured in hand-made seasoned oak casks. This limited edition is a celebration of Taylor’s unparalleled expertise in the craftmanship of fine Ports and a tribute to the 80th anniversary of victory in the Second World War. To create this exclusive release, Taylor’s has drawn upon its extensive stocks of very old cask aged Ports, carefully preserved in its historic cellars in Oporto. Amongst these reserves lies a small treasury of unique and historically significant port wines. …
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Price: £595.00
Stock: 2 in Stock