Quinta do Noval: Recent Vintages 2011-2020

BY NEAL MARTIN | NOVEMBER 01, 2022

Earlier this summer, Christian Seely organised a worthwhile vertical tasting of recent vintages of Quinta do Noval and Naçional in London. Noval has been on fire lately and reasserted its position as one of the Douro’s finest Port Houses, setting its own agenda regarding Declarations. These dozen or so fortified wines were extremely consistent and occasionally dazzled. The most significant change has been their purity and approachability. When I began tasting Port in the late-Nineties, you would have to lay down recent releases for around two decades before they entertained the notion of drinkability. Nowadays, tannins are sculpted with a far finer chisel, and if infanticide is your thing, then I would not begrudge anyone from cracking open a bottle in its flush of youth. That said, readers are missing out on the glory of mature Port with 30 years or more under its belt, that heady smorgasbord of secondary aromas and flavours that provide a suitable end to any lunch or dinner.

Christian Seely guiding us through recent vintages from Noval.