Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at the launch of Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage Port 1931. This iconoclastic Port from a single 1.7ha plot of five-year-old vines bucked the Douro’s staunch tradition of blending parcels (‘vinhas’) and estates (‘quintas’). How else to obtain balance, complexity and finesse in an extreme continental climate? Yet Nacional is widely …

Flows wonderfully from the start, with an already accessible feel to the mix of cassis and dark blackberry notes inlaid with singed alder, warm paving stone, tobacco leaf and graphite accents that then carry the finish. In the end, there’s no rush at all here. A pretty gorgeous Pauillac. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2025 through 2038. Tasted twice, …

Features fresh pear, citrus and apple flavors that are appealing in their juiciness, with details of spices and lemon blossoms. Drink now. 26,000 cases made. Source : 5189e16700a3cd124df9230810bc8da7