The 2022 vintage reminded Christian Seely at Quinta do Noval of the 2017 and 1945 vintages, both notable for the resilience of their vines in the face of soaring temperatures. Seely describes 2022 as ‘a year of extremes’ but also believes this vintage will follow in the footsteps of previous highly rated vintages (and he is usually right about such matters).

Touriga Nacional was the star performer in 2022 and counts for the lion’s share of this year’s blend alongside smaller volumes of Tinto Cão, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Francesa—all foot-trodden in temperature-controlled granite lagares. The wine matured for 18 months in old wooden barrels and was bottled in May 2024 with 89 g/L residual sugar.

Crafted from a rigorous selection of just 7% of the estate’s vines, it’s a luscious, ripe Noval with fruit flavours of black plums, violets and wild berries complemented by a delightful perfume that seamlessly intertwines with the velvety, luxurious texture. It’s perhaps the most accessible of Noval’s recent declarations, even if it does not want for staying power. The sheer vibrancy and balance captured this year are remarkable.

Noval’s Vintage Port is a single-quinta wine, the grapes passing a strict selection program from Noval’s vineyards on the slopes of Douro’s Cavadinha tributary. The 2021 vintage marks the 11th Port declaration in a row for Quinta do Noval, and this year’s wine represents only 4% of the estate’s entire production. Each year, the blending proportions for the Vintage Port will vary depending on the varieties which performed best. The 2021 is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cão, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Francesa—all foot-trodden in temperature-controlled granite lagares.

The wine matured for 18 months in old wooden barrels and was bottled in May 2023 with 97 g/L residual sugar. From the purity of its floral-led aromas and layered berry-fruited palate, this is Noval in its most elegant form. As always, it’s a wine of striking purity and intensity, yet it wears its power lightly, and the long, gently spiced finish is pure class. A delicious counterpoint to the opulent wines of recent years, it will work well in restaurants from a reasonably young age.

Noval’s Vintage Port is a single-quinta wine, the grapes passing a strict selection program from Noval’s own vineyards on the slopes of Douro’s Cavadinha tributary. The 2020 vintage marks the 10th Port declaration in a row for Quinta do Noval, and this year’s declaration represents only seven per cent of the estate’s entire production. Each year, the blending proportions for the Vintage Port will vary depending on those varieties which performed best. The 2020 is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cão, Sousão, and Tinta Roriz (very little Touriga Francesa was used in 2020)—all foot-trodden in temperature-controlled granite lagares. The wine was matured for 18 months in old wooden barrels.

The vines at Noval always gift Ports of tremendous elegance and purity, traits that fit the widely declared 2020 vintage like a glove. Bottled in May 2022 with 115 grams of residual sugar, this is a profound Noval of exceptional clarity and sensual power.

The most revered and collectible Port in the world, Quinta do Noval Nacional is a Vintage Port produced from a single 2.5-hectare parcel of ungrafted vines in the Quinta do Noval estate, right next to the cellars. This patch of vines consistently produces a sublime and unique wine widely considered to be the pinnacle of Vintage Port and indeed, one of the world's great wines. It is also almost certainly the rarest of the world's great wines as so little is released—and then, only in suitable years.

The Nacional plot is not named after the grape Touriga Nacional (as is commonly assumed). In fact, the site is planted with a range of the best Port varieties, including Touriga Nacional (which accounts for only about 30%), Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão (about 20%, 60-year-old vines), Tinta Roriz and some Sousão. The average age of the vines is around 50 years.

The wine is called Nacional because it is produced exclusively from ungrafted vines on their original rootstocks and, therefore, directly ‘attached to the soil of the nation’. The yields of these vines are minuscule (around 15 hl/ha), and the tight bunches of small, deeply coloured grapes produce a massively profound, yet typically sublimely refined, Port of rare finesse. The Romanée-Conti of Ports if you like.

The most revered and collectible Port in the world, Quinta do Noval Nacional is a Vintage Port produced from a single 2.5-hectare parcel of ungrafted vines in the Quinta do Noval estate, right next to the cellars. This patch of vines consistently produces a sublime and unique wine which is widely considered to be the pinnacle of Vintage Port and, indeed, one of the world’s great wines. It is also almost certainly the rarest of the world's great wines as so little is released—and even then, only in the appropriate years.

The Nacional plot is not named after the grape Touriga Nacional (as is commonly assumed). In fact, the site is planted with a range of the best Port varieties, including Touriga Nacional (which only accounts for roughly 30%), Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão (about 20%, 60-year-old vines), Tinta Roriz and some Sousão. The average age of the vines is around 50 years. The wine is called Nacional (i.e. national) because it is produced exclusively from ungrafted vines (i.e. vines on their original rootstocks and therefore directly in touch with the soil of the nation). The yields of these vines are minuscule (around 15 hl/ha), and the tight bunches of small, deeply coloured grapes produce a massively profound yet sublimely refined Port. The La Romanée-Conti of Ports if you like.

The most revered and collectable Port in the world, Quinta do Noval Nacional is a Vintage Port produced from a single 2.5-hectare parcel of ungrafted vines in the Quinta do Noval estate, right next to the cellars. This patch of vines consistently produces a sublime and unique wine which is widely considered to be the pinnacle of Vintage Port and indeed, one of the great wines of the world. It is also almost certainly the rarest of the great wines of the world as so little is released and then, only in the appropriate years.

The Nacional plot is not named after the grape Touriga Nacional (as is commonly assumed). In fact, the site is planted with a range of the best Port varieties including Touriga Nacional (which only accounts for roughly 30%), Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão (about 20%, 60-year-old vines), Tinta Roriz and some Sousão. The average age of the vines is around 50 years. The wine is called Nacional (i.e. national) because it is produced exclusively from ungrafted vines (i.e. vines on their original rootstocks and therefore directly in touch with the soil of the nation). The yields of these vines are minuscule (around 15 hl/ha) and the tight bunches of small, deeply coloured grapes produce a massively profound, yet typically sublimely refined Port of rare finesse. The La Romanée-Conti of Ports if you like.

When declared in the appropriate vintages, between 100 and 300 cases are made and these are highly sought the world over. We consider ourselves privileged to be able to offer them to you (albeit in tiny quantities) sourced directly from the stocks at the Quinta. Although the winemaking is almost identical to Noval’s VP, in some years the Nacional spends a few extra months in barrel (640 litres). The corte and liberdade (treading) were performed by a group of six for three hours.

The most revered and collectable Port in the world, Quinta do Noval Nacional is a Vintage Port produced from a single 2.5-hectare parcel of ungrafted vines in the Quinta do Noval estate, right next to the cellars. This patch of vines consistently produces a sublime and unique wine which is widely considered to be the pinnacle of Vintage Port and indeed, one of the great wines of the world. It is also almost certainly the rarest of the great wines of the world as so little is released and then, only in the appropriate years.

The Nacional plot is not named after the grape Touriga Nacional (as is commonly assumed). In fact, the site is planted with a range of the best Port varieties including Touriga Nacional (which only accounts for roughly 30%), Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão (about 20%, 60-year-old vines), Tinta Roriz and some Sousão. The average age of the vines is around 50 years. The wine is called Nacional (i.e. national) because it is produced exclusively from ungrafted vines (i.e. vines on their original rootstocks and therefore directly in touch with the soil of the nation). The yields of these vines are minuscule (around 15 hl/ha) and the tight bunches of small, deeply coloured grapes produce a massively profound, yet typically sublimely refined Port of rare finesse. The La Romanée-Conti of Ports if you like.

Quinta do Noval created the first LBV in 1958. An unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage made only with grapes from Noval’s vineyards, this LBV is an outstanding introduction to the Noval style. It is treated exactly like a Vintage Port, made with only noble grape varieties from the Quinta—Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão and Sousão. The main difference is that it is aged for four, sometimes five years in wooden vats instead of the two years typical of Vintage Ports. Simply, this is Noval’s ‘baby vintage’, with fine structured tannins, great freshness and purity of fruit. It also has a track record second to none in the category.

Like the Vintage Port, the grapes are trodden by foot in lagares (the traditional stone vats of the Quinta) then macerated during a three-day fermentation to obtain the best possible extraction of the polyphenolic compounds. From a terrific year for this grower’s Ports, it is a rich and complex wine with gorgeous notes of blackberry and blackcurrant fruits, alongside hints of dried peel and spice. True to form, it’s polished and very refined with admirable poise and freshness and a twist of quality dark chocolate and sweet tobacco on the lingering finish.

Noval’s Tawny NV is an elegant, fleshy wine with good richness and a fresh, tangy finish. Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca are the major grape varieties here, sourced from both the estate and Noval’s A-category suppliers. This wine is aged for three years-plus in large oak vats before the final blending and bottling.

Noval’s wine tends to be darker and have more fruitcake richness than most entry Tawnies in the market. This is a legacy of the quality of material involved and the higher rate of evaporation that occurs in Douro—as opposed to Vila Nova de Gaia—which concentrates the grape’s natural residual sugars. Showcasing an intense brick colour, this has a complex nose with youthful cherry fruit and anise. On the palate, it is medium-sweet, with rich fruit and a fresh finish. Try it slightly chilled as an aperitif as they do at the estate (and in France), or enjoy at room temperature with dark chocolate desserts or coffee.

This is the youngest of the Noval Tawnies with an age indication. It’s made from 50% estate fruit with the balance from A-grade producers in the heart of the Douro Valley. Alongside Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional and Sousão now enter the story. The grapes are foot-trodden and fermented in the traditional lagares of the Quinta. After fortification, the wine is moved to old oak barrels of 640 litres for aging.

Unlike Noval’s 10-year-old Tawny, this wine is made entirely from fruit cropped from the Quinta do Noval estate, so this is a step up in quality as well as age. In Port and the Douro, Richard Mayson has referred to this category as, “the epitome of balance combining freshness and delicacy with the secondary toasted almond and walnut complexity from ageing in wood.” Noval’s contribution to the 20-year-old field is pure premier league. Sublimely elegant and refined, there’s so much intricacy and toffee-scented depth. It’s a perfect example of how delicious and complex a 20-year-old Tawny Port can be. 

Noval’s 40-year-old is made in tiny quantities and shows the heights this style of wine can reach with careful, extended oak aging. Noval’s aged Tawnies are bottled to order, which guarantees their freshness—even at this age the wine is zesty and full of life. Precise and focused on the palate, and with exceptional length, this is a true masterpiece to compare with the greatest wines of the region.

The Portuguese word colheita means ‘harvest’. A Colheita Port must be from a single year and aged for a minimum of seven years in wood before bottling. In practice many are aged for considerably longer (as is the case at Noval) and so Colheita Ports can vary greatly in style.

Noval’s Colheita is only made in exceptional years, when certain lots of wine with great aging potential are set aside to be aged in cascos (old casks with a capacity of 640 litres). When Noval feels the wine is ready—usually after about 15 years—a portion is bottled for release. The rest of the stocks of will continue to age in barrel for bottlings in the future.

The 2007 purrs with class. Already drinking beautifully, it will pair with chocolate ganache, walnut and date tart, chocolate/orange desserts and spiced fruit flan.

The Portuguese word colheita means ‘harvest’. A Colheita Port must be from a single year and aged for a minimum of seven years in wood before bottling. In practice many are aged for considerably longer (as is the case at Noval) and so Colheita Ports can vary greatly in style.

Noval’s Colheita is only made in exceptional years, when certain lots of wine with great aging potential are set aside to be aged in cascos (old casks with a capacity of 640 litres). When Noval feels the wine is ready—usually after about 15 years—a portion is bottled for release. The rest of the stocks will continue to age in barrel for bottlings in the future.

The 1997 presents as lithe and muscular, with laser-focused drive and pinpoint acidity, matched to a svelte palate branded with beautiful flavours of spice, and a walnut and coffee cake finish that lasts an age.

The Portuguese word colheita means ‘harvest’. A Colheita Port must be from a single year and aged for a minimum of seven years in wood before bottling. In practice, many are aged for considerably longer (as is the case at Noval), and so Colheita Ports can vary greatly in style.

Noval’s Colheita is only made in exceptional years, when certain lots of wine with great aging potential are set aside to be aged in cascos (old casks with a capacity of 640 litres). When Noval feels the wine is ready—usually after about 15 years—a portion is bottled for release. The rest of the stocks will continue to age in barrel for bottlings in the future.

In a very sweet spot, the beautifully refined 1995 exhibits umami (mushroom broth) and tilled earth notes, well integrated into a bright fruit and floral-noted palate underscored by tight and classically structured framework. With a vibrancy that defies its years, this beauty still has a long way to go (if desired).