NV Quinta do Noval 20 Year Old Tawny 750 ml

Decanter’s #1 Tawny Port Out of 78 Tasted

Sometimes, the greats live up to their reputations. Quinta do Noval is “one of the iconic estates in Portugal's Douro River Valley,” in Wine Spectator’s words and the world’s esteem. A panel of Decanter wine experts including two Masters of Wine and Richard Mayson (who wrote “Port and the Douro” the definitive book on Port) tasted their way through 78 ports last month — Quinta do Noval’s 20-Year-Old Tawny came out on top with 95 points, the highest score awarded. The expert panel hailed this “gloriously fresh and completely alive” 20-year-old tawny’s “bright demeanor. As one of Decanter’s Masters of Wine said, “20 years is the sweet spot because there’s still fruit there, but you have all the benefits of the oxidative style too. Plus, they’re great value!” Of them all, this is the greatest! Secure your share now of this latest masterpiece from a Douro Valley house that has been making port since 1715.

Could you tell the story of vintage port without discussing Quinta do Noval? It’s impossible. Had Quinta do Noval not had the courage to declare the 1931 vintage on its own, we might not have experienced what’s widely considered one of the greatest wines of the 20th century. Always blazing its own path, the Quinta do Noval team led by Christian Seely sources almost all of their ports from their own estate.

The 20-year-old tawny is where the critics converge. Decanter places them at “the apogee of the tawny Port pyramid,” combining “the freshness of youth” with “the complexity that comes with age.” Jancis Robinson calls 20-year tawny “the drink of Port professionals” — you can hear her exuberance when Robinson writes “This is wine!” in the midst of a rave review of Quinta do Noval’s 20-year tawny — the port that Douro cellarmasters judge each other by. Savor that critical consensus about where 20-year-old tawny exists on the port spectrum, and then consider anew the first-place finish of this Quinta do Noval 20-Year-Old Tawny when the Decanter judges tasted through dozens of its port peers.

Vintage port’s richness can be imposing, and exceptional patience in the cellar is required. But 20-year tawny is the epitome of “anytime” port. Those Decanter judges reach for descriptions like “incredibly versatile” and “instantly lovable” but they’re getting at the same idea — this is port for the people, port to enjoy whenever, not just holiday celebrations or even after-dinner relaxing. Whether you’re looking for a complex winter sipper or something to drink with a light chill after a big summer BBQ, Noval’s 20-year tawny is the port for any occasion. We sincerely hope you put this claim to the test.