From scrunchies to shoulder pads, Ghostbusters to Garfield and perms to pastels, the 1980s have come back in a big way.

Margaret River Region’s Wrights Vineyard continues the trend with a reboot of a much-loved ‘80s Perth tipple, Wrights White Port, now reimagined as Wrights Fortified Chardonnay.

It’s not just a tribute to the original fortified wine made by Henry and Maureen Wright on their Wilyabrup vineyard, but a recreation of the original recipe by their son Ian, using grapes from Chardonnay cuttings from the original vines.

Wrights Vineyard owner Ian Wright and multi award-winning winemaker Julian Langworthy used an original bottle of Wrights White Port to scientifically test its make-up. They have selected a balance of grapes from original Wrights Wines Chardonnay and Riesling vine cuttings.

No road trip to Margaret River in the ‘80s and early ‘90s was complete without a stop by the Wrights Wines cellar door (now Juniper Estate) for a bottle of White Port. It became an institution and people would travel from far and wide to get their hands on it at the cellar door. It was originally made with riesling grapes, then chardonnay.

Around 150,000 visitors came to the winemaking pioneers’ cellar door in the 1980s.

Rhine Riesling was in Wrights Winery original stable, but production stopped in 1986 when demand for their White Port went through the roof. The grapes were needed for the what was described by WA wine writer Mike Zekulich in his 1990 book Wines and Wineries of the West as an: “amazingly successful white port. It’s a style that will never be described as a classic, but it is sweet and different, and loved by an enthusiastic band of supporters.” He continued “it began as a fun wine, but it has become an important part of the Wrights range.”

Established in 1973, Henry and Maureen Wright were pioneers of Margaret River winemaking, alongside the likes of Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, Cullen, Sandalford and Leeuwin Estate. Wrights Wines was located on Harmans Mill Road opposite Vasse Felix, now Juniper Estate.

Their son Ian launched Wrights Vineyard in 2023 on a vineyard in Cowaramup that has a track record of producing great wine that now includes cuttings from original Wrights Wines vines.

Ian believed there was a market for the ‘80s after-dinner favourite.

“I was surprised when researching that there other winemakers were not doing Fortified Whites,” he said.

“40 years on, it feels like a good time to bring it back.

“It really sits comfortably in current drinks trends. Our Fortified Chardonnay has white nectarine and fig nuances of Margaret River chardonnay, but as we’ve taken it into fortified territory, it feels like a spirit on the palate.

“We recommend drinking it now as a refreshing aperitif over ice or cellaring over the next 10 years and enjoying after dinner as a digestif.”

Be quick, as only 300 500ml bottles have been released, shipping commences in first week of December.

Purchase and find out more here.