Quinta do Noval and Quinta do Noval Nacional 2022
Quinta do Noval declared the 2022 vintage back in May this year but due to an unfortunate series of events (Covid etc.) over the summer I have only just got round to tasting the samples. Just to remind you (as Noval have reminded me) that 2022 was a year of extremes; it was both very hot and very dry. Rainfall was only 364 mm during the growing season, 276 mm below the 1970-2000 average. There were recurrent heatwaves, in early July and in early August, with prolonged periods of temperatures over 40°C and a peak of 45,5°C in mid-July. Such extremes were not entirely unprecedented: similar conditions were experienced in the great vintages of 2017 and 1945. The vines at Noval remained extremely healthy throughout the year, with very little disease pressure. Remarkably, the vines remained surprisingly green and free from water stress. This is reflected in the wines though I fear that the bottle of Nacional that I received was not on form!
Quinta do Noval 2022 ****/*****
In the words of Noval, ‘a very strict selection of the very best wines of the year’ A total of 2,600 cases produced represents just 6,6% of the total production of Port from the estate’s 155 hectares of vineyard. A blend of Touriga Nacional (‘particularly successful’) some field blend parcels, with Touriga Francesa and Sousão. Good, deep, youthful hue with a vibrant crimson rim; lovely Touriga Nacional floral perfume yet showing restraint on the nose with an underlying dusting of graphite indicating tannic structure; gloriously ripe plum and berry fruit underpinned by firm, fine-grained tannins with good definition all the way through to the finish. Already showing great balance and finesse: there is nothing overripe here despite the heat of the growing season and the finish is fresh and persistent. Very accomplished. If you like your Port young this can be enjoyed now in its bloom of youth but it has the balance and poise to last to 2050 and beyond. 18.5
Quinta do Noval Nacional 2022
‘We new from the start that the Nacional was exceptional’ say Noval of this wine from a unique plot of old, ungrafted wines at the heart of the estate: wonderful colour (Nacional is not always the deepest of Ports), nearly opaque; my sample bottle is showing a rather introverted and musty character on the nose (could it be the cork?); a little better on the palate but still introverted, lovely firm, dense fine-grained tannins at the heart of the wine, sharing the freshness and purity of the Noval ’22 above but a little raw and edgy on the finish and the fruit doesn’t seem to be expressing itself at this stage. I fear this is a poor sample. Reserve judgement. No mark until I re-taste.
