2016 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port Douro Valley Portugal 750 ml

One of Four “Declared” Vintages This Century

Every visit to a new wine region is illuminating, but my first trip to the Douro Valley in Portugal was truly one of the most memorable of my life. I was honored to watch history unfold, as the world’s greatest port wine producers were “declaring” the 2016 vintage during the time of my visit. Port vintages are only declared in the very best years and vary by producer, but 2016 is exceptional—it is only the fourth vintage of the century to be “fully declared.” Over lunch at the winery with Carlos Agrellos, the technical director of Quinta do Noval, I was among the first in the world to taste the 2016 vintage ports, which Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has called “stunning from the first smell, promising concentration, intensity of fruit and great things to come.” I wholeheartedly agree. While vintage ports are famed for ageability, the 2016 vintage has a beautiful balance of intensity and power coupled with a seductive polish even at this early stage. Critic James Suckling, who scored the 2016 Quinta do Noval 98-points, perhaps said it best: “They exemplify strength and form. It suggests that they can be consumed slightly younger, perhaps in five to eight years, but they will continue to age beautifully for decades ahead.” This is a wine not to be missed, boasting a glorious nose of violets, pastille candy, blackberry, and blueberry fruit, dense but fine-grained tannins and a superbly long finish. I returned home with a small allocation to offer you—only $99.99 per bottle with shipping included on every order. A small price for a piece of history.

The vines at Quinta do Noval grow on impossibly steep slopes near the small sleepy town of Pinhão, held in place by hand-built stone walls that trace the contours of the hills. Traditionally, grapes for Port production are tread by foot; incredibly, the team at Quinta do Noval was instrumental in developing a gentle mechanical method designed to mimic the human foot. The process extracts as much color and tannin as possible prior to fortification but is gentle enough as to not crush the seeds which can add bitterness. Fermentation is short and intense before the wine is fortified, retaining sweetness in the finished wine.

The 2016 Quinta do Noval could pair well with a fine cigar, of course, but is also an unbeatable accompaniment to an end-of-meal cheese plate—or in place of dessert. Purple-black in color, bursting with glorious aromas of violets, pastille candy, blackberry, and blueberry fruit, it is incredibly perfumed and expressive. The blue-black-fruited theme continues on the palate with cracked pepper and cardamom. Immensely powerful, but with finesse around the edges, and boasting astonishing balance for such a young, fortified wine. Tuck this collector-grade gem away for at least another four to five years, but don’t be afraid to cellar it for a tried and true century—which is why having a few bottles to taste over the decades is strongly recommended.