Quinta do Noval - Vintage Nacional 2022
Quinta do Noval is an iconic Port wine house, founded in 1715 and unique among the great houses for being located directly in the heart of the Douro Valley, rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Its name comes from its exceptional vineyard, Quinta do Noval, world-renowned for the outstanding quality of its grapes and wines. The Quinta's vineyards are mainly planted with the noble grape varieties of the Douro: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Cão. These varieties benefit from an exceptional terroir composed of a mix of schist and clay soils, where the strong presence of rocks makes harvesting particularly challenging but ensures water stress favorable to the concentration and aromatic richness of the grapes. A significant replanting was carried out starting in 1994, with a precise selection of the varieties best suited to each plot according to soil type, altitude, and exposure, thus optimizing the qualitative potential of the vineyard. At the center of this exceptional estate, a rare plot of ungrafted vines, miraculously preserved from the phylloxera crisis in the 19th century, gives Quinta do Noval an incomparable historical authenticity. Since 1993, management has been led by Christian Seely, who is also responsible for several major European wine estates within the prestigious AXA Millésimes group, owner of renowned crus such as Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pibran, and Disznókő in Hungary.
The Vintage Nacional is made from a meticulous blend of several noble grape varieties, and not solely Touriga Nacional as its name might suggest. It is based on an exceptional blend mixing Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, and Tinta Roriz, these varieties being among the most prestigious and characteristic of the Douro Valley. The harvest is done manually, then the grapes are foot-trodden, a traditional method that allows delicate extraction of the most subtle aromas and tannins. Fermentation takes place in the lagares, traditional stone tanks emblematic of the Quinta, promoting perfect control of maceration for a wine of exceptional finesse and depth. The Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage benefits from careful aging of 18 months in large old oak casks of 2,500 liters, where it develops all its aromatic complexity, structure, and remarkable balance.
Grape varieties: Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, Tinta Roriz
