Quinta do Noval - Tawny Port
Quinta do Noval is a Port House established in 1715, and one of the few to be located in the heart of the Douro Valley, instead of Villa Nova de Gaia, Portugal. It takes its name from its most famous vineyard, in this case Quinta do Noval. The majority of the vineyards in the quinta are planted with noble Douro grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Cao. The grapes are grown on a mixture of schist and clay soils, but the presence of rocks around the vines makes the harvest difficult for the winegrowers. Large-scale replanting of the vineyards was undertaken in 1994, and each plot was planted with a variety that best suited the soil, altitude and exposure. In the heart of the Quinta do Noval vineyard is a small plot of ungrafted vines that were lucky enough to avoid the devastation of phylloxera in the 19th century. Since 1993, the Managing Director has been Christian Seely who is also in charge of numerous vineyards in Europe, within the AXA Millesimes group. This investment group also owns estates such as Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pibran as well as Disznókő in Hungary.
This Noval Tawny is vinified by pumping over in stainless steel tanks. It results from a blend of wines made from Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca with an average age of 3 years and aged in oak barrels.
Grape varieties: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca
