2021 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, Douro Valley

Made from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz, trodden by foot in granite lagares: very deep, opaque crimson; open and scented on the nose with a slight green undertone, multi-layered showing considerable depth; lovely sappy-minty ripeness on the palate with broad, firm, fine-grained tannins mid-palate which persist on the finish. Not a big wine but balanced and showing considerable finesse.” 

18 points Richard Mayson richardmayson.com

Intense aromas of black fruits with blueberries, lead pencil and graphite. Wet earth as well. Full-bodied and layered with very fine tannins and a juicy and savory finish. There is such polish and beauty to this. Reminds me of the 1967. Best after 2030.

95 points jamessuckling.com

Noval’s Vintage Port is a single-quinta wine, the grapes passing a strict selection program from Noval’s vineyards on the slopes of Douro’s Cavadinha tributary. The 2021 vintage marks the 11th Port declaration in a row for Quinta do Noval, and this year’s wine represents only 4% of the estate’s entire production. Each year, the blending proportions for the Vintage Port will vary depending on the varieties which performed best. The 2021 is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cão, Sousão, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Francesa—all foot-trodden in temperature-controlled granite lagares.

 The wine matured for 18 months in old wooden barrels and was bottled in May 2023 with 97 g/L residual sugar. From the purity of its floral-led aromas and layered berry-fruited palate, this is Noval in its most elegant form. As always, it’s a wine of striking purity and intensity, yet it wears its power lightly, and the long, gently spiced finish is pure class. A delicious counterpoint to the opulent wines of recent years, it will work well in restaurants from a reasonably young age.