On the nose mocha, leather, anise and other spices, with some balsamic notes. In the mouth velvety and balanced, although a bit warm due to the high alcohol content. The aftertaste is fruity, sweet and seductive.
Quinta do Noval, whose name first appeared in land registers in the year 1715, is one of the most prestigious names in Porto. Since 1993 it belongs to AXA Millésimes, which also includes Château Pichon Baron in Pauillac, Château Suduiraut in Sauternes, Château Petit-Village in Pomerol, Domaine de l’Arlot in Burgundy and Disznókő in Tokaj.
Noval’s most famous Port wine, the Vintage Nacional, is a field blend of 20-30 different grapes from ungrafted vines grown in a small area at the heart of the Noval vineyard and untouched by phylloxera.
Only tiny quantities are produced. The 200 to 250 cases made represents only a small part of Quinta do Noval total vintage production (between 1’200 and 5’000 cases), itself only about 10% of Quinta do Noval total production in vintage declaration years.
Vintage Port can be aged in barrels or stainless steel for a maximum of two and a half years before bottling. It then generally require another 10 to 40 years of aging in the bottle before reaching what is considered a proper drinking age.
Vintage Port is made entirely from grapes of a declared vintage year. While it is by far the most renowned type of Port, from a volume and revenue standpoint Vintage Port accounts for only about 2% of the overall Port production.
Not every year is declared a vintage in the Douro, although improved winemaking technologies and better weather forecasts during the harvest have increased the number of years in which a vintage can be declared.
If a port house decides that its wine is of sufficient quality for a vintage, samples are sent to the IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto) for approval. Upon approval the house declares the vintage. In very good years almost all the port houses will declare their wines.
Single quinta vintage ports like Quinta do Noval are wines that originate from a single estate. This bottle currently sells at ARVI for 92 CHF.
Country: Portugal
Region: Porto
Grapes: Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, Touriga Nacional
Type: Fortified wine
Vintage: 2003
Producer: Quinta do Noval
Price range: Extra (50-100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 4/5