[Closed] Wine buffs - recommend a 1976 red?

I'd be very surprised if you can turn up a bottle of that sort of age that wasn't pretty poor to begin with at that sort of price range.

Bottles which age well tend to be costly in the first place, aged they tend to get more expensive and something which will lay down (and be worth aging) for 40years is actually fairly unusual even for something of decent provenance.

You'd be better of getting a good bottle of younger wine (100 should buy you plenty if you don't get too snobby)

Any ideas what your wife likes to drink?

This, but follow the link to the winestore website, plenty on there for 1976 reds at less than £100

[url= https://www.winestore.co.uk/wine/domaine-de-la-renarde-rully-andre-delorme-1976-75cl-ws ]Winestore website[/url]

Have a look on [url] https://www.bidforwine.co.uk/ [/url]

I've bought on there before, and you can get some nice wines for not too much outlay.

Obviously with anything of that age you take a risk on it having been stored correctly and not having turned to vinegar!

Personally I'd buy her some really nice wine of a more recent vintage that you know will be fine to drink.

Agree with dangeyourbrain; lottery at the price and vintage. How about a nice [url= http://www.bbr.com/products-938299-1976-armagnac-j-nismes-delclou ]Armagnac[/url] instead?

Could she not have been born in a different year? Not the finest vintage...

Might be easier to get a port.
https://www.portugalvineyards.com/en/wines/3019-real-companhia-velha-colheita-port-1976-5601109121112.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA0pDBBRCFtoPyguTh8AUSJADNWeuxp2N5PmyEFZhyHmZLDJgbmRmA8LWMn5boU910GUTOjBoCw1Xw_wcB

How about getting a quality bottle of port? It is [i]fortified[/i] wine so hits the brief.

Port is your friend. Likely to be low risk compared to a red win.

[url= http://www.vintagewineandport.co.uk/vintage-port/1976-port?gclid=CjwKEAiA0pDBBRCFtoPyguTh8AUSJADNWeuxGIWuXhQkq9Uq38WKOezl-n6soyiLkzXZp8MFtXQ_exoCDTfw_wcB ]1976 Port[/url]

another vote for port

gree with dangeyourbrain; lottery at the price and vintage. How about a nice Armagnac instead?

This is very good advice. Berry Brothers will have the stock in their Basingstoke warehouse and will mail order from there. Also an Armagnac will last and can be shared with multiple guests over many occasions.

£100 for a 40 year old bottle of wine is too low a budget, only a very few wines are capable of keeping that long and 1976 may not even have been a good year depending on what you are looking at (as per CFH). Bordeaux (claret) is probably the safest bet but anything decent will be multiples of your budget, most red wine doesn't last well past 10-15 years.

Port ... tough too. I was given two bottoes for my 50th a '63 and a '69 - not opened as afraid to be dissapointed and at those ages have to be drunk in one sitting. The '69 was bought by a very learned friend who said that was about the oldest he'd risk, I once decanted a 40-ish yr old bottle and it was terrible was subsequently told it has to be opened and drunk within an hour or two, it can stand the air as its too old

Thought it might be a struggle & my folks keep telling me about the hot summer of '76 so guessed it might not be a great year!

She's not a Port / Armagnac drinker so that's probably out

We met in 2010 & our son was was born in 2013 so a 2013 bottle could be 'his' pressie to Mum...

As for what she likes (I wish I'd remembered more - full bodied, oak, smokey, tobacco box, cherries/berries) Didn't try much French wine

Bordeaux (claret) is probably the safest bet

Not a great year for Claret.

Oddly, I think it was Italy that did best in 76.

2010 Bordeaux was all of teh shizzle! 2013 less so!

How about some Port? https://www.nickollsandperks.co.uk/wine/61213276BND15980/1976_Kopke_Colheita/
Or something a little different? https://www.nickollsandperks.co.uk/wine/11404276BND/1976_Volnay_clos_Des_Chenes_Ch_Meursault_-Stained_labs/dam_caps/

Oddly, I think it was Italy that did best in 76.

Buggar - so now I need my wife & son to be born in different years!

CFH - she is also quite happy with a pint of 6X in The Lamb - We're popping in there & the Outside Chance so maybe I just spend the money in there!?

Rioja is probably your best bet, but you're taking a huge risk with 40 year old wine. My mum bought my dad some (very expensive) wine from 1969 as an anniversary present, and it's barely drinkable.

https://www.vintagewineandport.co.uk/products/1976-Rioja-1976

+1 for port, or you might find better vfm with a Maury. Less prestige, keeps reasonably well.

Edit, here's one for €104
http://www.vigneronsdemaury.com/boutique/fr/millesime-1976/47-maury-chabert-de-barbera-1976.html

she is also quite happy with a pint of 6X in The Lamb

I shall not ask for any more details. In case I met her in the past. Erm.....

😉

2010 as a year would get you one each of a good barolo, a good a good barbaresco and an awesome brunello in your price range, the three classics of Italy. Personally about my favorite wines for the money and will definitely tick the tobacco, oak cherries boxes. You could maybe even tag an amarone in there too with a bit of shopping arround.

All will be good to drink now, all will cellar longer than you'll manage too resist drinking them.

If it were me I'd buy a good bottle of amarone or brunello and a nice pair of reidel varietal glasses (the pinot noir ones are really good for everything and look lovely)

[Edit] as above I'd avoid trying to get anything that's not a spirit at that age, it's a lottery unless you know what you're looking for and can see a few bottles side by side, even then at 100 you're going to be buying something forgotten rather than something kept.

As if she'd ever be allowed in there unaccompanied...

^ this man (dangeyourbrain) writes wisely.

As to Riedel, I'm too clumsy and/or drunk to use the vinum glass sets I have; I find the stemless ones safer.

Rioja is probably your best bet, but you're taking a huge risk with 40 year old wine. My mum bought my dad some (very expensive) wine from 1969 as an anniversary present, and it's barely drinkable.

I had a 40 year old brandy that was tremendous.

I'd suggest spending £100 on some really nice wine and find something dirt cheap from 76 as a joke.
I reckon you could get 4 exceptional bottles for that if you shopped around. get some help.

Rioja is probably your best bet....

1986 was a great year for Bordaux . And she will feel 10 year younger .

Thanks for the advice has probably avoided the disappointment of opening a 40-year old bottle of vinegar

Dangeourbrain will look into your suggestions, much appreciated.

2010 to drink now you'll get a decent choice of Burgandy and Bordeaux (maybe a bit early) for half the budget of it and still drink very well. You need to call / speak to a good supplier. Another recommendation for Berry Brothers, St James main shop will help and will be used to the question.

Just looked on bbr.com - some good looking Tuscans (Italy), some Burgunday (Nuits St George 1er cru) and Bordeaux (Loungeville, Pauillac) - all around 40-60 hard to pick for you just looking at the wines I like

Burgandy...Burgunday...

Do not take wine advice from this man.

😉

Avoid screw tops too.

😉 http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/screw-top-wine/page/2#post-8043050

captainsasquatch - Member
Avoid screw tops too.

😆

Classic.

😆

1976 Rioja gets a 3/5, look into it further before pulling the trigger.

Personally I would distrust any sentence that starts like that, there is so much variation in the win world it's almost pointless.

If only I'd said something like:

but you're taking a huge risk with 40 year old wine.

Love the Italian suggestion, our honeymoon & favourite holiday destination. Perfect!

Personally I would distrust any sentence that starts like that, there is so much variation in the win world it's almost pointless.

If only I'd said something like:

but you're taking a huge risk with 40 year old wine.

Do you really like tired slightly oxidised wine?
I would go for a £50 bottle of Rivesaltes, its sweetness means it's just gets richer rather than 'aged' I had a glass of a 56 a few weeks ago and it was fantastic.
Would then get a nice bottle of red and not get hung up on the date.

I'm not sure blue nun or black tower did a red

I'd distrust it on buying wine tomorrow, the differences regionally are enough, the style may be similar but they are not all the same thing.

That's why you talk to a decent merchant.

£50 bottle of Rivesaltes

a '76 red is trying too hard. It's probably priced on caché rather than any guaranteed underlying speciality. I certainly wouldnt touch a bordelaise wine given the ridiculous prices and mediocre production, but Im biased 😀

caché

That would be cachet. Do not take wine advice from this man.
😉

yes and don't start with a style word in mind...

but hey just my opinion
For the OP

As for what she likes (I wish I'd remembered more - full bodied, oak, smokey, tobacco box, cherries/berries) Didn't try much French wine

Both wines I have enjoyed and both fit your description of what she likes - I've tried more higher end stuff touring Oz so more what I remember.

The only wine from 1976 that isn't port that I'd buy is this: https://m.danmurphys.com.au/mob/product/DM_912950/penfolds-grange-1976.jsp;jsessionid=DBF1EEA78373EF6D94165749E294AB87.ncdlmorasp1301?bmUID=lw1RYkt

and only if it had been re done at Penfolds!!

Quite

[img] [/img]

Back in stock soon at Aldi for £29.99 it's sublime.

Ignore the 16th November that was last year

A few suggestions on link
https://www.vintagewinegifts.co.uk/acatalog/40th-anniversary-gifts.html

My preference would be the Phelan Segur.

Also check out Chateau Musar from the Lebanon; when it's good it's wonderful and '76 was a good year; I'm referring to the red specifically as the white is very much an acquired taste - some I love but others are vile.

1976 was a very good year for German Riesling - if you like off dry white; don't be put off by any tartrate crystals in the bottle - look like sea salt crystals - as they're just a sign of ageing.

Would need to check for declared vintage port but check out Berry Bros & Rudd or Majestic Fine Wines or your local merchant.

Penfolds Grange would be superb but way beyond your indicated budget.

If your missus likes dessert wine - there's a world of choice and these age fantastically well; Tokaj, Eiswein, Beerenauslese, Ttrockenbeerenauslese.

Time to stagger down to the cellar - hic..................

I drank a 1979 Rioja back in 2010. It had been sitting on my Mum's shelf since the 80s and she hadn't quite known what to do with it.

It was perfectly serviceable. Quite nice, actually. Weird, effectively drinking the products of rainwater that had fallen 30something years ago.. 😯

Why not go for a classic 70s wine?

[img] [/img]

Most Tokay - or Sauternes should be perfectly good at this age, your budget probably wont stretch to Yquem. Need to like sweet wine though.

Or you could go for a '76 retro edition' of this: http://www.dylanswine.co.uk/product-details.asp?Auto_ID=1367
It's like old wine but new....