Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 2000

“Earned its reputation as ‘backward from the off’ when last tasted in December 2018, but this celebrated vintage of Noval (a general declaration) is now in revelatory mode. Expressive, elegant even, with perfumed, sweet, juicy red berry and plum, orange blossom, liquorice, gingerbread spice and dark chocolate. Builds intensity, finishing very long, with mouthcoating, fine, mineral tannins and inky back palate resonance. Coming very much into its stride.”

“Wonderful nose: fantastic, dark, focused sweet blackberry fruit is multilayered and complex with some olive notes. The palate is superconcentrated with dense, pure, really sweet blackberry fruit. Amazing intensity and depth here. Still just an infant. Brilliant effort.”

“The 2000 Quinta Do Noval is much stricter on the nose compared to the 1997 with very pure blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry fruit mixed with cigar box and flinty scents. The palate is medium-bodied, rounded and sensual on the entry with mint, orange peel, fig skin and white pepper. This is a sensational millennial Noval with the temerity to surpass the Nacional. Drink 2015-2040. Tasted January 2014.”