Quinta Do NovalNacional
- 2019Laser-like Focus
$950.00 per bottle Limited availabilityThere is only one fortified wine in the Wine Spectator’s 12 bottle case of the 20th Century: Quinta do Noval Nacional. That first, legendary vintage in 1931 created a mystique that continues to this day. The name “Nacional” refers to the Portuguese vines growing on native soils with no foreign root stock— “attached to the soil of the Nation.” The survival of the tiny parcel of vines untouched by phylloxera is a mystery. When declared, only 200-300 cases are produced. Fida is thrilled to offer the 2019 vintage to our members. We have also developed a small library of back vintages so please reach out if you’re looking for a specific bottling.
Provenance
Fida ships wines in refrigerated containers and stores wines in temperature controlled warehouses.
Data Points
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Producer
Quinta Do Noval
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Wine
Nacional
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Origin
Douro Valley, Portugal
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Varietal
Port Blend
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Appellation
Porto
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Vintage
2019
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Alcohol
19.50%
Notes
Quinta do Noval has matured over centuries to become the greatest producer in the Douro Valley. More than a house or producer, Noval is a vineyard with all vintage wines sourced entirely from the single namesake vineyard. Nacional—planted with a mix of the noble grape varieties of the Douro, principally Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, and Tinta Roriz—is a single plot within that vineyard.
Using only the utmost care, the Noval team employs massal selection in order to preserve the authenticity of this site: when a vine dies, it is replanted from the cuttings of another vine in the vineyard. The Nacional vines in particular are slightly less vigorous, with smaller trunks, less foliage and with leaves that are a less vibrant green. The berries are smaller, providing a higher ratio of skin to juice. The grapes are harvested in a single day and trodden by foot in only the smallest lagares.
Right Now
Quinta do Noval Nacional 2019 is the top scorer in Decanter’s roundup of 2019 Ports and received similar acclaim from critics around the globe. Mark Squires of the Wine Advocate scored the wine 99 Points stating,
It is brighter and laser-like focused with an expression of fruit that seems so pure that you can almost think they used a spoon to fill the bottle after just crushing the grapes.
Purity of fruit is a hallmark for the legendary port house. The vintage itself benefited from a mild winter and generally dry conditions. Summer temperatures in the Douro were fortunately lower than usual this year, making the absence of rain easier to bear for the vines. Moreover, low humidity led to low disease pressure in the vineyards and beautiful healthy grapes.
More
We continue to see Quinta do Noval Nacional on the auction block. The demand is high and savvy collectors know this is a must for any well-rounded cellar. Like most of Noval’s vintage ports, we recommend decanting and serving at cellar temperature. If possible, I’d hold on to this beauty for as long as I could bear and then truly experience the magnificence of this mysterious site.
Comments& Reviews
This is clearly packed, with a remarkably dense core of black currant, fig, açai berry and plum fruit that is steeped in feel, yet still well-defined. Licorice root, Turkish coffee, baker's chocolate and singed alder notes course through in lock-step, adding impressive range and drive. All that power and density and there's still great cut and a lingering mouthwatering edge. A special wine. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz. Best from 2040
The 2019 Vintage Port Nacional is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão, Sousão and Tinta Roriz, aged for 18 months in old wood. It was bottled May 4, 2021, with 100 grams of residual sugar and 19.4% alcohol. This opened rather differently than the regular Noval Port this report, showing more open and expressive fruit, more cherries and even more power as they both aired out. The aromatics are excellent here too, but more fruit driven. When I came back to both some two days later, this brilliant and graceful Nacional made the wonderful regular Noval seem clumsy. It's the difference in styles, really, and reasonable minds might differ in preference, but this Nacional has more precision and more finesse. It is brighter and laser-like focused with an expression of fruit that seems so pure that you can almost think they used a spoon to fill the bottle after just crushing the grapes. The regular Noval, by contrast, seems rounder, more full-bodied and richer, albeit less defined. They both have a fair share of power. On first taste, the regular Noval seemed less powerful. Two days later, it seemed more powerful, but the Nacional fruit was always more interesting and far more intense in its character. Three days later, there was certainly still plenty of firmness on the Nacional finish. If the structure is excellent, the fruit is sensational. Three days after opening, the fruit had not budged an inch, showing nothing but exuberance and youth. The juicy finish of this very fresh Porto seals the deal. True, it was in bottle only about two months or so when tasted, but its quality is not in question. If you want a collectible and can afford it, this is the easy pick. If neither of those is true, the regular Noval offers way more bang for the buck. Both have significant aging potential. As promising as the regular Noval is, however, this seems to have a lot more upside as well as a lot more "wow" factor.
Last but certainly not least, the 2019 Quinta do Noval Naçional Vintage Port comes from Noval’s un-grafted vines and undergoes essentially the same maturation as the regular Noval. It is more backward on the nose compared to the Noval, demands time to open, before eventually revealing black cherries, tar, tobacco and clove. A touch of smoke and eucalyptus make an appearance with time. The palate is absolutely sublime with a perfectly judged line of acidity; a Naçional that is full of tension and energy, finely chiselled tannins and an enthralling crescendo towards the spicy and peppery finish. This is quite profound. Best After 2033