Quinta Do Noval 2017 (750ML)

98 WS / 98 DE / 97 VM / 97 JS / 97 WA / 96 DE / 17.5 JR

#53 Wine Spectator Top 100 2019

This is well-packed, offering the vivid plum, boysenberry, cassis and açaí berry fruit profile of the vintage, along with a dark edge of tar, baker’s chocolate and salted licorice that courses underneath. The long finish lets the fruit play out, keeping singed alder and chai spice hints in the background. Smolderingly seductive. Best from 2035 through 2060. From Portugal. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

An exceptionally early harvest followed on from a cold, dry winter and a very hot, dry summer from June onwards. Deep, opaque and still youthful in appearance; opening up in the glass to reveal super-ripe, minty fruit with a touch of dust and eucalypt. Already showing wonderful finesse; big, broad and fleshy with solid, ripe tannins rising in the mouth to a long and massively structured (foursquare) finish. Beautifully defined and integrated overall. Very impressive: this will be a long-term keeper. Drinking Window 2035 - 2070. -- Richard Mayson (at Quinta do Noval Decade Tasting, 20 Jun 2022), Decanter

The 2017 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port was picked from August 21 to September 28 under perfect conditions. It has a tightly wound bouquet that requires a lot of aeration. Eventually it reveals fabulous, detailed aromas of cassis, bilberry jam, crushed stone and pressed violets, later hints of orange blossom and quince. The palate is pure class. Saturated tannins, wonderful structure but the headline is the intensity of fruit. I cannot remember a Noval with this penetration, almost overwhelming the senses as layers of effervescent black plum and cassis fruit segue into a spicy finish that fans out like there is no tomorrow. Is this the best Quinta do Noval ever? - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Big grip in this wine with dark blackberries, blueberries and floral notes. Fine tannins. Ripe but sweet and pretty. Shows a lovely finish. Try after 2027. - James Suckling

The 2017 Vintage Port is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for 18 months in old wood vats. It comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. This was bottled in May 2019, about a month before tasting, but I made sure at least some of it had a lot of air. Aromatic, wonderfully fragrant and laced with eucalyptus, this then shows typical Noval focus and power. A couple of hours in a glass simply increased the power. More intense than the very fine 2016, it grips the palate and shows rather significant astringency. As wonderfully aromatic as this is, there the 2016 might have the edge. Too closed and muscular once past the aromatics, this rather dry Port needs some time. It is harder to read than the 2016 was, but this should overtake it in time. Have some patience with this one. - Mark Squires, Wine Advocate

Noval spills over into two valleys from Pinhão to Roncão which contribute two very different terroirs to the blend, though both predominantly south-facing. It displays heady Douro aromas of open, ripe, plummy fruit with a touch of dust and eucalypt, wild and aromatic. The palate is dense, smooth and seductive on the palate with firm, schistous tannins rising on to a fresh, linear finish. Beautifully defined and integrated. Just 3,500 cases declared. - Richard Mayson, Decanter

Harvest started 21 August. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Sousão, Tinta Roriz. Grapes are trodden by foot and fermented in stone lagares. 18 months in wooden casks. RS 99 g/l, TA 4.92 g/l, pH 3.51.
Black core with narrow purple rim. Beautifully scented with bergamot, very ripe black fruit and wild herbs. A savoury character, almost an umami note, adding complexity to the rich, spicy black fruit. Firm, dense, compact and all furled up on itself, with depth and richness but no excess weight. The impressive integration of the flavours means it is hard to describe the components separately. Fills the mouth and finishes long and chewy, with just enough freshness to balance. - (JH), Jancis Robinson .com