Quinta do Noval is based in Vale de Mendiz in Pinhão, in the Cima Corgo. Like all Noval Vintage Ports, the 2013 was produced exclusively from selected plots on the Quinta and trodden by foot in lagares. It was aged for 18 months in wooden barrels in the air-conditioned cellars at the Quinta before bottling. It is a deep aubergine hue with a bright crimson rim. On the nose it reveals lifted floral notes (peonies) and just a hint of greenness. A greeness which, I might add, I don’t mind at all. It’s part of the elegant style of this Vintage Port, which I found lighter than the others 2013s I tasted alongside it over three days (Sandeman Quinta de Seixo and the Symington’s more easterly Douro Superior estate Quinta do Vesuvio and Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, where picking started a week later). In the mouth, it has the marked freshness of earlier-picked grapes from this vintage – lovely acidity/freshness to its juicy brambly, woody raspberry and succulent black cherry and plum fruit. Very long and mineral, quite dry and elegant, with dusty schist mineral notes and powder-fine, gently mouth-coating tannins. A highly disgestible, accessible Port of character and charm. 1,200 cases were produced, representing less than 3% of the production of this 143 hectare quinta. 19,5 % abv, Residual Sugar: 94,00 g/dm3.
