Tasting Quinta do Noval wines: latest releases

‘I’m very ambitious with these red wines from the Douro,’ says Christian Seely, managing director of Quinta do Noval. ‘I believe that high quality reds and whites can give a new lease of life to the Douro and deliver to drinkers some really thrilling wines.’

Speaking at a tasting of the latest vintages of the quinta’s still wines, it’s clear that Seely has a vision for both the winery and the future of this region of Portugal – best known for its fortified wines – in the face of climate change and global warming.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for new release Quinta do Noval wines

Established in 1715, Quinta do Noval is famous for its vintage Ports – particularly its 1.6ha of ungrafted vines used to produce icon wine Nacional. It began making still wines in 2004.

Seely took charge of the estate when it was bought by AXA Millésimes in 1993. Since then much of the vineyard has been replanted, first under the supervision of technical director António Agrellos and since his retirement in 2017, under his nephew Carlos Agrellos.

In 2019 Quinta do Noval purchased the neighbouring Quinta do Passadouro estate, which has two main vineyard parcels in the Pinhão Valley and the Roncão Valley, totalling 36ha. The acquisition increased Noval’s total vineyard holdings in the Douro to 181ha.

Grape varieties

As well as plantings of traditional Douro varieties Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Roriz, Noval has focused on increasing its number of Touriga Nacional vines. Indeed Noval’s first single-varietal still wine was made by accident from overlooked barrels of Touriga Nacional in 2004.

‘Touriga Nacional has naturally low yields. I think of it as a delicate, floral, aromatic varietal and you have to vinify it accordingly to achieve that,’ says Seely. ‘It’s an important element in our vintage Ports. It seems to respond well to intense heat – you can make very interesting wines in hot years.’

The winery has also introduced French grapes to its vineyards. Alongside Touriga Nacional, its top range of still wines includes a Syrah and Petit Verdot. ‘We planted Syrah in 2000, it adapts very well to the Douro,’ notes Seely, who had access to cuttings – and considerable expertise – of these French varieties from AXA Millésimes stablemate Château Pichon Baron in Bordeaux and former stablemate Domaine Mas Belles Eaux in the Languedoc.

The tasting

Alongside these single varietal wines Noval makes its flagship Reserva. It also produces two other labels – Maria Mansa and Cedro do Noval, with a red and white of each – bringing its total range of Douro table wines to eight.

The new release tasting began with Cedro do Noval Branco 2020, the label named after the large cedar tree that grows on the terrace of the quinta. It’s a well-priced blend of 65% Viosinho and 35% Gouveio; the white varieties planted in a 6ha vineyard that used to be an olive grove. ‘If you want to make white wines in the Douro you have to plant your own vines,’ notes Seely.

‘I take white wines from the Douro very seriously,’ he continues. ‘The quality potential of these whites is almost limitless. Part of the thrill of these wines is their personality – they have individuality.’

That’s true of Cedro do Noval Tinto, a characterful red blend that varies from vintage to vintage. The 2017, from a hot, dry year comprised 55% Touriga Nacional, 25% Syrah, 15% Touriga Francesca and 5% Tinta Cão. While 2018, from a more temperate vintage, included less Touriga Nacional (50%) and more Touriga Francesca (20%).

The inclusion of Syrah here is indicative of the French sensibility that runs through the rest of Noval’s red wines, which are all aged in French oak.

‘Red wine is now a significant proportion of our production at Noval,’ explains Seely. ‘We don’t decide at the start of the year which grapes will be which. From the beginning of August we taste and make decisions about Port or red wine.’

Built to last

The quinta’s flagship Reserva is also a blend. While the 2017 combines 55% Touriga Nacional and 20% Touriga Francesca, the 2018 vintage includes 15% of old field-blend vines. Attention to detail is shown in fine-tuning of the oak regime: 12 months in 225-litre French oak, with 35% new for the 2017 and 50% new for the 2018.

Seely is confident that these Reservas have considerable ageing potential for the future. ‘Typically to show you have a great terroir, you need to prove the wines can age. But the reality of the market is that people are buying these wines young,’ he says.

‘I believe the Reserva 2017 and 2018 have maybe 10, 15, 20 years of ageing ahead of them,’ he adds. ‘Only since 2012 have we been making wines that will really age. We don’t have a back library of vintages to show the ageing potential yet – but we will.’

Quinta do Noval wines: new releases

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