1978 Wine and Port Vintage
Vintage Summary and Recommendations: 
Welcome to Vintage Wine and Port's 1978 wine page. Read on for our summary of the 1978 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!
In France, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire and the Alsace all enjoyed excellent years, producing a wide range of sophisticated wines, some of which were capable of great aging. For Sauternes, however, the year was distinctly average and, for Champagne, it was downright poor. For France, the star region was indisputably the Rhône Valley, which had a legendary year for both the north and south. Italy had a legendary vintage and Spain's was also notably good. Any of these wines would make a fabulous 47 year old wine gift for an Anniversary or birthday.
Our Wine Expert currently recommends the following wines for this year:
This Year in History: Fun Fact: Louise Brown, the first “test-tube baby,” was born healthy in Oldham General Hospital, UK.
Eurovision Winner: Israel with the song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta
Top Grossing Movie: Grease
Bordeaux: The 1978 wine vintage was excellent for the Bordeaux region. The dry, hot summer produced wines that were medium-bodied, deeply coloured, fruity and moderately tannic. The wines reached their peak of maturity in the 1990s but are still drinking well now and will continue to do so for some years to come.
Italian: 1978 was a trouble free vintage across the Tuscany region with an early spring, warm but not excessively hot summer and well distributed rainfall. There was a certain amount of rain early in the harvest but those producers who picked later benefited from a period of uninterrupted fine weather. Altogether for Tuscany this was a 4 out of 5 Vintage. Conversely, the year started with cold and damp weather in Piedmont. Spring was particularly wet with lower than average seasonal temperatures; not until the second half of June did the weather pick up, too late for the flowering, which took place in very wet conditions causing a significant reduction in the crop. After light rains at the beginning of September, the weather suddenly turned around and the rest of the month was hot and dry with a marked difference between day and nighttime temperatures. The dramatic improvement continued through until the end of the Nebbiolo harvest during the third week of October. Natural selection and a warm autumn meant a very small crop of thick-skinned Nebbiolo grapes in Barolo and Barbaresco. By the end of the season this hailed as a great, long-lived vintage with a rating of 5/5.
Portugal: 1978 was a good Port vintage, although not a declared one; the wines are not outstanding but are still attractive and drinkable. 1978 was the year when the labelling of 'single quinta' became popular. Michael Symington, Head Winemaker at Symington Family Estates (Owners of Warre's, Dow's, Cockburn's, Smith Woodhouse and Graham's among others) wrote of the 1978 vintage "Musts showed exceptional colour and body and very dark, heavy wines have certainly been made. Not a trace of mould or rot was to be seen on the grapes coming in, and seldom can a Vintage have been made from more uniformly healthy grapes."
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82 products found.
Nebbiolo, 1978
Giordano
The Nebbiolo has a lovely earthy bouquet. The nose has cherries, dark cherries, tar and slight dried rose notes. Complex and layered. Nice acidity. Medium tannins still present. Cherries on the palate too. Nice finish. Great food wine. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
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Price: £79.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Nebbiolo, 1978
Cav. Luigi Cauda
Clearance Offer - Last Bottle | Was £99 | Now £55
The Nebbiolo has a lovely earthy bouquet. The nose has cherries, dark cherries, tar and slight dried rose notes. Complex and layered. Nice acidity. Medium tannins still present. Cherries on the palate too. Nice finish. Great food wine. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
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Price: £55.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Nebbiolo, 1978
M. Mascarello
The Nebbiolo has a lovely earthy bouquet. The nose has cherries, dark cherries, tar and slight dried rose notes. Complex and layered. Nice acidity. Medium tannins still present. Cherries on the palate too. Nice finish. Great food wine. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
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Price: £79.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Nebbiolo D'Alba, 1978
Bersano
Nebbiolo d'Alba renowned for is longevity, is considered the premiere varietal of northwestern Italy. It is used for the Famous Barolo wines and is believed to have been cultivated in the Langhe district before the fourteenth century.Nebbiolo-based wines, acid and astringent in youth, evolve with maturation into some of the most well-structured, longest living, and richly scented wines.
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Nebbiolo D'Alba, 1978
Bric Paraiso - Carretta
Nebbiolo d'Alba renowned for is longevity, is considered the premiere varietal of northwestern Italy. It is used for the Famous Barolo wines and is believed to have been cultivated in the Langhe district before the fourteenth century.Nebbiolo-based wines, acid and astringent in youth, evolve with maturation into some of the most well-structured, longest living, and richly scented wines.
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Price: £79.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Nebbiolo D'Alba, 1978
Salvano Saverio
The Nebbiolo has a lovely earthy bouquet. The nose has cherries, dark cherries, tar and slight dried rose notes. Complex and layered. Nice acidity. Medium tannins still present. Cherries on the palate too. Nice finish. Great food wine. Nebbiolo is a fickle grape famed as much for its pale appearance as for its tannic character and produces some of the most perfumed and richly flavored wines. Though generally only medium-bodied, the wines possess rose and anise scented aromatics and deep flavors of cherry, orange peel and subtle green herb tones.
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Pinot Nero, 1978
Maschio Breganze Special Offer | Was £59 | Now £35
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity.
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Price: £35.00
Stock: 34 in Stock
Porta dos Cavaleiros, 1978
Porta dos Cavaleiros, Dao
Caves S. Joao, established in 1920, became a dominant force in Portuguese winemaking in the early 20th century with their houses Porta dos Cavaleiros in Dao and Frei Joao in Bairrada. Given the shifting trends in consumer preferences, Bairrada and Dao fell to obscurity in the 1990s when critical influence drove the demand for bigger, extracted, warmer climate wines. As in all things, however, what comes around goes around! Sure enough, 20 years later savvy consumers and food-conscious sommeliers are looking for finesse and freshness and heading back to Bairrada and Dao. Wines that when young had a vegetal character, …
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Price: £79.00
Stock: 118 in Stock
Quinta do Noval, 1978
Vintage Port
This Port is now beginning to reach its full maturity and is ready for drinking. As it ages further, it will begin to develop gently into a more tawny style Port. This Port should probably be drunk over the next few years although it is still showing remarkable balance and finesse. Fully mature and ready for drinking now.
Learn more about Quinta do Noval
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Price: £139.00
Stock: 14 in Stock
Recioto, 1978
F.lli Furia, Sweet Red Wine
"Recioto," as in "Recioto della Valpolicella," refers to a dessert wine made from grapes that were dried on mats after picking. This process turns the grapes closer to raisins, concentrating the flavors. The wines are lovely and taste how you'd expect raisins-turned-wine to taste, rich and sweet.
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Regaleali, 1978
De Conte Tasca d'Almerita
Very forward nose of leather and cherries, liquorice wild strawberries, ripe plums and pencil .The palate is very nice balance of sweet fruit and acidity
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Price: £59.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Sangiovese di Romagna, 1978
Soc. Coop. Corovin
Good-quality Sangiovese is prized for its high acid, firm tannins and balanced nature. Savory flavors of dark cherries and black stone fruit are characteristic, and may be backed by secondary notes of tomato leaf and dried herbs. The use of oak has become more popular and this coaxes richer flavors from the grapes, tending toward plum and wild raspberry.
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Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sassella, 1978
Enologica Valtelinese
Sale | Was £79 | Now £50
Valtellina Superiore Sassella wines are made under the Valtellina Superiore DOCG, specifically from grapes grown in the village of Sassella. Sassella is one of five viticultural sub-zones specifically identified as producing Valtellina wines of particularly high quality: the other four are Grumello, Inferno, Maroggia and Valgella. Sassella is considered to be the finest of these, and the pinnacle of the Valtellina viticultural zone.
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Price: £50.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Sizzano, 1978
Cantina Sociale di Sizzano e Ghemme
Sale | Was £89 | Now £49
The wines Sizzano must be made from grapes coming from the following varieties: Nebbiolo (Span): 50-70%; Vespolina and Uva Rara (Bonarda Novarese) alone or in combination 30-50%. Colour: ruby red with garnet; Bouquet: vinous, typical, with hints of violet, fine and pleasant; Flavour: dry, full-bodied and harmonious with a slightly bitter aftertaste; Aging: "Sizzano": at least 22 months of which at least 18 in wood; "Sizzano Reserve": at least 34 months of which at least 24 in wood.
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Price: £49.00
Stock: 9 in Stock
Sogno di Bacco, 1978
Umberto Fiore ** DOUBLE MAGNUM 3 Liter Bottle **
Sogno di Bacco is made from thelong lasting nebbiolo grape. Nebbiolo is a black-skinned red wine grape variety most famous for creating the 'tar and roses' scent of Barolo wines from Piedmont, north-western Italy. The grape's very name is evocative of its home among the misty foothills of the western Alps; the nebbia (Italian for 'fog') after which it is named frequently arrives on early October mornings, when the Nebbiolo harvest is in full swing.
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Price: £349.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sogno di Bacco, 1978
Umberto Fiore - *** DOUBLE MAGNUM of 3 Liters ***
Sogno di Bacco is made from thelong lasting nebbiolo grape. Nebbiolo is a black-skinned red wine grape variety most famous for creating the 'tar and roses' scent of Barolo wines from Piedmont, north-western Italy. The grape's very name is evocative of its home among the misty foothills of the western Alps; the nebbia (Italian for 'fog') after which it is named frequently arrives on early October mornings, when the Nebbiolo harvest is in full swing.
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Price: £349.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Sogno di Bacco, 1978
Umberto Fiore
Clearance Offer | Was £69 | Now £34
Sogno di Bacco is made from thelong lasting nebbiolo grape. Nebbiolo is a black-skinned red wine grape variety most famous for creating the 'tar and roses' scent of Barolo wines from Piedmont, north-western Italy. The grape's very name is evocative of its home among the misty foothills of the western Alps; the nebbia (Italian for 'fog') after which it is named frequently arrives on early October mornings, when the Nebbiolo harvest is in full swing.
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Price: £34.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Spanna, 1978
Antoniolo - Cà Rossa
Spanna has often been cited by wine experts as one of Italy’s greatest ageing wines. Spanna’s longevity can be attributed, at least in part, to the addition of smaller amounts of less tannic, more acidic grape varieties. Tasting notes: The nose opens up beautifully after about an hour and the wine has gorgeous ripe and sweet fruit, nice acidity, and perfectly softened tannins.
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 2 in Stock
Taittinger, 1978
Vintage Champagne, Victor Vaserely
This is a typical aged 1978 champagne with deep golden colour. Although not many bubbles are nowadays left, the occasional bubble does come through! It shows a mature nose of baked apple and chrysanthemum with mushroom and honey notes. It is round and mellow on the palate with a long toasted pastry finish.
This rare 1978 Champagne from Taittinger features a label designed by the Hungarian- French artist Victor Vaserely who is widely accepted as the grandfather of the Op art movement.
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Price: £365.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Taittinger, 1978
Vintage Champagne, Victor Vaserely Comes in presentation box with 2 glasses
This is a typical aged 1978 champagne with deep golden colour. Although not many bubbles are nowadays left, the occasional bubble does come through! It shows a mature nose of baked apple and chrysanthemum with mushroom and honey notes. It is round and mellow on the palate with a long toasted pastry finish.
This rare 1978 Champagne from Taittinger features a label designed by the Hungarian- French artist Victor Vaserely who is widely accepted as the grandfather of the Op art movement.
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Price: £499.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Taylor Fladgate, 1978
Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port
Bin soiled label
This 1978 Single Quinta from Taylor Fladgate is a great colour. 70% opaque. Bright cherries on the nose, holding well. On the palate hints of the Vargellas fire. Long aftertaste and plenty of tannins. Excellent. VWP (TC) note 08 Tasting the Port Forum - 2018.
Learn more about Taylor’s
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Taylor Fladgate, 1978
Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port
High Shoulder
This 1978 Single Quinta from Taylor Fladgate is a great colour. 70% opaque. Bright cherries on the nose, holding well. On the palate hints of the Vargellas fire. Long aftertaste and plenty of tannins. Excellent. VWP (TC) note 08 Tasting the Port Forum - 2018.
Learn more about Taylor’s
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 3 in Stock
Teroldego Rotaliano, 1978
Lechthaler
Teroldego is a red Italian grape variety grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. The wine Teroldego Rotaliano, which is made with this grape in Trentino, has had DOC status since 18 February 1971. It is planted on about 400 hectares and is cultivated by over 300 producers.
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Price: £59.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Vei Cavour (Piemonte), 1978
Giordano *** DOUBLE MAGNUM BOTTLE OF 3,0 LITERS ***
Aged red wine. Selected red grapes produce this lively and elegant wine with an intense red colour and subtle orange tones. Its soft velvety bouquet results from a period of maturation in Slavonian oak barrels, ensuring a full and rounded taste.
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Price: £299.00
Stock: 1 in Stock
Vei Cavour (Piemonte), 1978
Giordano *** DOUBLE MAGUM OF 3,0 LITERS WITH WOODEN SUPPORT ***
Aged red wine. Selected red grapes produce this lively and elegant wine with an intense red colour and subtle orange tones. Its soft velvety bouquet results from a period of maturation in Slavonian oak barrels, ensuring a full and rounded taste.
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Price: £249.00
Stock: 1 in Stock