The arrival of January takes us to the peak of Port season. What sounds cozier than snuggling up by the fireplace with your loved one, or a good book, while sipping on a glass of Port, and taking a break from the rain and cold.
Port makes for a great pairing at the table, not just with desserts and charcuterie boards (which are both excellent), but also with savory dishes like brisket and steak.
We bring you a trio of Ports. Each great in their own right. Starting with our Top Port of the Year: Quinta do Noval 2019 Vintage Port, which garnered a glowing score of 97 POINTS by THE WINE ADVOCATE. It also scored highly with almost every wine reviewer on the planet, including: DECANTER (97), WINE SPECTATOR (96), VINOUS - ANTONIO GALLONI (96), JEB DUNNUCK (96), and WINE ENTHUSIAST (96).
Quinta do Noval always follows its own path in its approach to declaring Vintage Ports. If they believe that they have the wines of the right quality and personality to join the ranks of the Quinta do Noval Vintage Ports of previous years, they will bottle it and declare it, even if this means a smaller bottling. In this case, Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, released 2,780 cases represents just 14% of their production. This is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cao, Sousao, Tinta Roriz, foot-trodden in lagares (the traditional stone vats), with 18 months in oak barrel.
WINE ADVOCATE 97 POINTS - "The 2019 Vintage Port is a field blend aged for 18 months in old wood vats. It was bottled May 4, 2021, and has 100 grams of residual sugar. It was in bottle only a bit more than two months when tasted, but it seems quite brilliant, even so. Very concentrated, it adds controlled power and coats the palate. Tasted with some other 2019s, this certainly stood out for both concentration and power. It touches all the bases in terms of expressive fruit and structure, finishing dry and seriously. It seemed balanced enough to drink young, but that would be a mistake. For one thing, it steadily tightened as it aired out. It also increasingly showed gorgeous eucalyptus-laced aromatics. Two days later, it was notably more astringent. Four days later, it was very firm on the finish and better overall. In fact, that was a far better showing than on day one. This is plainly built for the long haul. I would expect nothing less from a fine Noval Vintage Port. It became more focused and precise as well. This needs the rest of this decade, at least, in the cellar to show better. Then it will develop well for decades and hold indefinitely. Frankly, it won't show everything it has in even 10 years, where I have the "start drinking" window, so if you have a lot more patience, that would be useful. It will be more interesting around 2035-2040. This is a powerful beauty, well justifying Noval's tendency to declare most every year."
DECANTER 97 POINTS - "A late release, on sale this Christmas, from the mostly recently declared year for Vintage Port. Deep opaque inky black hue; tight knit and unyielding with underlying minty ripeness on the nose; well-defined minty fruit with great purity and intensity on the palate, dark chocolate depth at the core, firm but ripe linear tannins with, long lovely freshness (the hallmark of this vintage) present on the finish. Drink from 2035 – 2080."
WINE SPECTATOR 96 POINTS - "This is dense, winey and well-structured, delivering a tarry spine through the core of packed black currant, fig and bramble notes that run in lock-step with mouthwatering licorice snap and spice accents. The great finishing kick leaves an invigorating feel, not easy for Port to do. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cao, Sousao and Tinta Roriz. Best from 2040 through 2060. 2,780 cases made."
VINOUS - ANTONIO GALLONI 96 POINTS - "Noval has released 2,780 cases, equivalent to 15% of production, of the 2019 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cao, Sousao, Tinta Roriz, foot-trodden in lagares with 18 months in oak barrel. This is well defined on the nose, with dusky black fruit laced with graphite and clove. A serious rendition when compared directly with the more “playful” 2019 Passadouro; hints of liquorice, eucalyptus and boot polish emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with vivid red and black fruit, liquorice and black pepper, crisp acidity with a structured finish. This is a fresh, tensile Noval that will age with style."
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Showing incredible purity and elegance, the 2019 Vintage Port reminds me a little of the 2017, offering gorgeous cassis and plum fruits as well as candied black olive, melted licorice, Asian spices, and tobacco. Full-bodied, rich, and flawlessly balanced, it shines for its elegance and purity, has silky tannins, and not hard edge to be found. It's so balanced and pure, it's a joy to drink even today, and it should continue to evolve gracefully for 50+ years if you have a cold cellar (and are young). It's a gorgeous wine."
WINE ENTHUSIAST 96 POINTS - "Although 2019 was not a generally declared vintage by other Port shippers, Noval went its own way with this vintage. It is such an elegant wine, balancing black fruits against a massive texture for aging. A rich structure gives the wine density and enormous potential. Drink from 2030."
Port makes for a great pairing at the table, not just with desserts and charcuterie boards (which are both excellent), but also with savory dishes like brisket and steak.
We bring you a trio of Ports. Each great in their own right. Starting with our Top Port of the Year: Quinta do Noval 2019 Vintage Port, which garnered a glowing score of 97 POINTS by THE WINE ADVOCATE. It also scored highly with almost every wine reviewer on the planet, including: DECANTER (97), WINE SPECTATOR (96), VINOUS - ANTONIO GALLONI (96), JEB DUNNUCK (96), and WINE ENTHUSIAST (96).
Quinta do Noval always follows its own path in its approach to declaring Vintage Ports. If they believe that they have the wines of the right quality and personality to join the ranks of the Quinta do Noval Vintage Ports of previous years, they will bottle it and declare it, even if this means a smaller bottling. In this case, Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, released 2,780 cases represents just 14% of their production. This is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cao, Sousao, Tinta Roriz, foot-trodden in lagares (the traditional stone vats), with 18 months in oak barrel.
WINE ADVOCATE 97 POINTS - "The 2019 Vintage Port is a field blend aged for 18 months in old wood vats. It was bottled May 4, 2021, and has 100 grams of residual sugar. It was in bottle only a bit more than two months when tasted, but it seems quite brilliant, even so. Very concentrated, it adds controlled power and coats the palate. Tasted with some other 2019s, this certainly stood out for both concentration and power. It touches all the bases in terms of expressive fruit and structure, finishing dry and seriously. It seemed balanced enough to drink young, but that would be a mistake. For one thing, it steadily tightened as it aired out. It also increasingly showed gorgeous eucalyptus-laced aromatics. Two days later, it was notably more astringent. Four days later, it was very firm on the finish and better overall. In fact, that was a far better showing than on day one. This is plainly built for the long haul. I would expect nothing less from a fine Noval Vintage Port. It became more focused and precise as well. This needs the rest of this decade, at least, in the cellar to show better. Then it will develop well for decades and hold indefinitely. Frankly, it won't show everything it has in even 10 years, where I have the "start drinking" window, so if you have a lot more patience, that would be useful. It will be more interesting around 2035-2040. This is a powerful beauty, well justifying Noval's tendency to declare most every year."
DECANTER 97 POINTS - "A late release, on sale this Christmas, from the mostly recently declared year for Vintage Port. Deep opaque inky black hue; tight knit and unyielding with underlying minty ripeness on the nose; well-defined minty fruit with great purity and intensity on the palate, dark chocolate depth at the core, firm but ripe linear tannins with, long lovely freshness (the hallmark of this vintage) present on the finish. Drink from 2035 – 2080."
WINE SPECTATOR 96 POINTS - "This is dense, winey and well-structured, delivering a tarry spine through the core of packed black currant, fig and bramble notes that run in lock-step with mouthwatering licorice snap and spice accents. The great finishing kick leaves an invigorating feel, not easy for Port to do. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cao, Sousao and Tinta Roriz. Best from 2040 through 2060. 2,780 cases made."
VINOUS - ANTONIO GALLONI 96 POINTS - "Noval has released 2,780 cases, equivalent to 15% of production, of the 2019 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinto Cao, Sousao, Tinta Roriz, foot-trodden in lagares with 18 months in oak barrel. This is well defined on the nose, with dusky black fruit laced with graphite and clove. A serious rendition when compared directly with the more “playful” 2019 Passadouro; hints of liquorice, eucalyptus and boot polish emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with vivid red and black fruit, liquorice and black pepper, crisp acidity with a structured finish. This is a fresh, tensile Noval that will age with style."
JEB DUNNUCK 96 POINTS - "Showing incredible purity and elegance, the 2019 Vintage Port reminds me a little of the 2017, offering gorgeous cassis and plum fruits as well as candied black olive, melted licorice, Asian spices, and tobacco. Full-bodied, rich, and flawlessly balanced, it shines for its elegance and purity, has silky tannins, and not hard edge to be found. It's so balanced and pure, it's a joy to drink even today, and it should continue to evolve gracefully for 50+ years if you have a cold cellar (and are young). It's a gorgeous wine."
WINE ENTHUSIAST 96 POINTS - "Although 2019 was not a generally declared vintage by other Port shippers, Noval went its own way with this vintage. It is such an elegant wine, balancing black fruits against a massive texture for aging. A rich structure gives the wine density and enormous potential. Drink from 2030."
Overall Rating
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