2020 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, Douro Valley

From an early harvest after a hot summer which produced a small quantity of super-concentrated wines: wonderful inky-crimson colour; closing down on the nose but with underlying ripe plum and berry fruit, almost minty and exotic in its ripeness; made in a deliberately rich style with more residual sugar than normal, dense on the palate with broad ripe, gravelly tannins and a big expansive finish. Still a little raw but with beautiful opulence overall and nothing baked or stewed here, despite the heat and power of the vintage.

97 points Richard Mayson decanter.com

The 2020 Vintage Port from Noval, which was picked from 1 to 22 September, has a residual sugar of 115g/l. It is forward and lively on the nose with macerated black cherries, cassis, raisin and pressed iris flowers. Fine delineation and focus. The palate is medium bodied with an attractive peppery entry. Lively, good depth and density, this is very focussed with impressive structure behind it. Yet there is no heaviness and there is just the right amount of salinity to keep it on its toes on the finish. Exquisite.

97 points Neal Martin vinous.com

Noval’s 2020 Vintage Ports are extraordinarily perfumed and profound—undoubtedly some of the most powerful and sensual young wines Noval has released in some time. Seely describes the expression as “extremely rich and powerful, voluminous, sensual, with great density” and a tannic structure that is “immense, but with remarkable finesse”. The Nacional (unusually harvested in a single day in 2020) is frankly jaw-dropping. It edges a close race with the VP, a wine already purring with class. Bottled in May 2022 with 115 grams of residual sugar, this is a profound Noval of exceptional clarity and sensual power.