Type:Port
Grape Varieties / ingredient:Touriga Nacional、Touriga Franca、Tinta Barroca、Tinta Roriz、Tinto Cao
Region:Douro/ Portugal
ABV:19.5%
Volumn:750ml
Winery
Founded in 1715, Quinta do Noval was originally owned and run by the Rebello Valente family for over a century. In the early 19th century, it passed through marriage to Viscount Vilar d'Allen, a man with a passion for wild parties. In the 1880s, due to the phylloxera epidemic, Quinta do Noval, like other local wineries, was put up for sale. In 1894, it was sold to renowned local businessman Antonio José da Silva, who replanted the vineyards and revitalized the winery. Later, his son-in-law, Luiz Vasconcelos Porto, inherited the management and continued to manage the winery for nearly 30 years. Luiz Vasconcelos Porto implemented major reforms, widening the terraces to increase sunlight and facilitate field operations—remarkable even by today's standards. He also promoted the winery through clubs such as the Cambridge and Oxford Clubs, raising its profile. Quintado Noval's reputation has steadily grown, with the 1931 vintage being a landmark. Due to the global economic downturn, port orders plummeted, and only three merchants remained in business that year. Quintado Noval was the only Portuguese producer to consistently export to the UK and US markets.
Now managed by the world-renowned insurance company AXA Millesimes, Quintado Noval stands as a quintessential Douro winemaker, both for its illustrious history and the exceptional quality of its wines.
Region
Quinta do Noval (Bird's Garden) is one of the oldest leading port wineries. Among the top port producers, Quintado Noval stands out for its single-vineyard grape sourcing. Notably, the winery is renowned for producing Portugal's finest port, "Nacional," a blend of old Touriga Nacional vines from a single vineyard. Similarly, the winery also produces Portugal's high-quality dry red wine, which is one of the most anticipated wines produced in the Douro region, showing unparalleled depth and concentration, as well as rich fruit and spicy characteristics.
Rating
James Suckling 98 pts
This is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao.
Wine Spectator 98 pts
This is distinctive from the start, with a youthfully rambunctious display of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit paste flavors liberally spiked with bramble, Turkish coffee and ganache notes. As the fruit pumps through the finish, a tarry spine adds a bristling, mouthwatering edge. Sports more obvious grip and is a touch drier in style than most of its peers.