PORTUGAL | DOURO
QUINTA DO NOVAL LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE UNFILTERED PORT 2016
T he astonishing terraced vineyards of Noval, perched above the Douro and Pinhao rivers, are an infertile schist, and not soil as much as sheer rock. The elevation of the vineyards goes from just above river level to 1,200 feet, with density at about 2,000 vines per acre, and vines producing on average 30-35 hectoliters per hectare. The tremendous rewards of the work done at the estate over the last fifteen years are visible across the range of Noval ports, and have placed Noval a step ahead of everyone in the Douro. This wine is a remarkable example of the Noval style. Treated exactly like a Vintage Port with only noble grape varieties from the Quinta, trodden by foot and unfiltered. Its main difference is that it is aged for five years in casks instead of the two years typical of Vintage Ports. Definitely an LBV with a difference, with fine structured tannins, great freshness and purity of fruit. It is delicious to drink today but will age beautifully in its bottle. 2016 was a year of extremes: a warm winter with high rainfall. After a wet spring, summer was very hot and dry, with some peaks of heat in August and September. By the end of August, the harvest looked extremely good, in excellent sanitary condition, but ripening began to slow down due to the very hot and dry conditions. In spite of the unusual and extreme climatic conditions of the year, the end result is of an excellent quality. The Port wines are exceptional, with excellent structure, very intense bright fruit, and aromatically very expressive. Tasting Note: This 2016 LBV Unfiltered is a delicious Port, rich and complex with gorgeous notes of blackberry and blackcurrant fruits and hints of spice as well. A minty freshness and dark chocolate add to the mix. This concentrated wine presents a broad, rounded texture that leads to a long aftertaste.
- CARLOS AGRELLOS, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
“The 2016 Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port is a field blend from typical grapes like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão and Sousão, aged for five years in casks. This traditional LBV comes with a long cork and 92 grams of sugar. (There was no 2015 released.) Another super LBV from one of the region's best producers of it, this is bursting with flavors leaning to strawberries and herbs. It adds fine concentration and reasonable tannic support. [...] This should age well (they always do).” - mark squires
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