The vintage

1963

A dreadful claret, a legendary Port

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The 1963 vintage, rated

A dreadful claret, a legendary Port

In 2026 a bottle from 1963 marks a 63rd birthday or anniversary

The vintage

Good · 3/5

In Bordeaux and Burgundy this was a washout - rain, rot and thin, hollow wine that has long since disappeared. In the Douro it was the exact opposite: every serious house declared 1963, and it stands as one of the greatest vintage Ports ever made. Those bottles are still magnificent, which is the only reason 1963 is a year worth buying at all.

What we would buy, and why

Do not let anyone sell you a 1963 claret; there is nothing there to rescue, whatever the label says. Vintage Port is the whole answer, and it happens to be one of the finest gifts on this site: €200-400 buys Taylor's, Fonseca or Graham's in good order. A bottle recorked by the shipper is a mark of care rather than a warning sign, and Port that has been stored upright for decades is the one to avoid.

1963 in the world

The Beatles recorded their first album in a single day in February. On 23 November the BBC broadcast the first episode of Doctor Who, and repeated it the following week because so much of the country had been watching the news instead.

Best bets for 1963

  • Taylor's, Fonseca or Graham's 1963 Vintage Port - the classic choice, and worth the extra
  • Warre's, Dow's or Croft 1963 - the same great vintage, usually €60-80 less
  • Colheita Port or Madeira 1963 from Kopke, Barbeito or D'Oliveiras, if you would rather not decant
  • Bas-Armagnac 1963 from Darroze or Laberdolive for a recipient who prefers spirits

How we grade a bottle

Fill level, label, capsule and cork, then provenance. Every bottle is checked by hand by people who have handled thousands of old bottles, and we write down the flaws as well as the good news. What the fill levels mean · How to choose a birth-year wine

Real people, not a chatbot

Ask a person about this year

The people who answer are the same people who check and pack the bottles. Ask for photographs, a condition report or advice on a year and you get a straight answer from the ANNO team, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 CET.