Quinta do Noval - Vintage Nacional 2020
Quinta do Noval is a prestigious Port wine house founded in 1715, renowned for being one of the few located in the very heart of the Douro Valley, rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia, in Portugal. This estate takes its name from its emblematic vineyard, Quinta do Noval. Most of the estate's vineyards are planted with the noblest grape varieties of the Douro region: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Cao. The grapes grow on an exceptional terroir, combining schist and clay soils, where the presence of rocks around the vines complicates the harvest but contributes to the richness and aromatic complexity of the wine. A complete renovation of the vineyards began in 1994, with the precise selection of the grape varieties best suited to each plot according to its soil, altitude, and exposure. At the heart of the Quinta do Noval vineyard, a rare plot of ungrafted vines survived the 19th-century phylloxera, bearing witness to a unique viticultural heritage. Since 1993, general management has been overseen by Christian Seely, who is also responsible for several wine estates in Europe under the AXA Millésimes group, which also owns prestigious properties such as Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pibran, and the Disznókő estate in Hungary.
The Nacional Vintage does not come solely from Touriga Nacional, contrary to what its name might suggest, but from a rigorous blend of the noblest grape varieties of the Douro Valley: Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, and Tinta Roriz. The harvest is foot-trodden to gently extract the must, which then ferments in the traditional stone lagares of the Quinta, respecting ancestral methods that guarantee the quality and finesse of the wine. The Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage benefits from a careful aging of 18 months in old 2500-liter oak casks, giving it power, balance, and longevity in the bottle.
Grape varieties: Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, Tinta Roriz
