Quinta do Noval - Ruby Port
Quinta do Noval is an iconic Porto house, founded in 1715, recognized as one of the few located right in the heart of the prestigious Douro Valley, rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Its name comes from its most renowned vineyard, Quinta do Noval. The vineyards of this quinta are mainly planted with the noble grape varieties of the Douro region: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Cao. The vines grow on a terroir combining schist and clay soils, with a strong presence of rocks that make harvesting particularly challenging for the winemakers. An extensive replanting was initiated in 1994, with each plot carefully chosen to best match the variety suited to the soil, altitude, and exposure. At the heart of the Quinta do Noval vineyard lies a rare plot of ungrafted vines, which miraculously escaped the phylloxera disaster in the 19th century. Since 1993, general management has been overseen by Christian Seely, who also supervises several important vineyards in Europe under the AXA Millésimes group. This renowned group also owns several prestigious estates such as Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pibran, and Disznókő in Hungary.
This Noval Ruby is vinified by gentle remontage in stainless steel tanks, ensuring optimal extraction of aromas. It is made from a harmonious blend of wines produced from the traditional grape varieties Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, and Tinta Barroca, with an average wine age of 3 years. The aging is then carried out in oak barrels, allowing a perfect balance between freshness and aromatic complexity, ideal characteristics of the best Ruby Ports.
Grape varieties: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca
