Quinta do Noval declares the 2012 vintage

This week, port producer Quinta do Noval announced the declaration of its classic 2012 vintage – one of the very few port houses to do so.

Managing director Christian Seely explains: “Quinta do Noval has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Our approach is very clear: when we are convinced that we have a wine of sufficient quality to merit a declaration as Quinta do Noval, we do so. 2012 is an outstanding example of this”.

“We are a small port producer that always concentrates on quality rather than quantity”, Christian Seely continues. “With vines and terroir like this we do not always have to run with the crowd. We have an independence, and reputation that allows us to be somewhat idiosyncratic - if the wine is right”.

“In 2012, thanks to plenty of essential rain through the spring, and then an extremely dry summer we were able to produce a very small quantity of truly exceptional Port that we considered worthy of a Vintage declaration. Following strict selection of lots in the tasting room, we made just 1,000 cases of our Quinta do Noval 2012 Vintage Port”.

Throughout the upper Douro, a wet spring and summer drought conditions that year reduced grape production overall. However, the mild temperatures through the year enabled the vines to reach excellent maturity. At Noval - where harvesting started one week later than normal - the grapes that were picked, and then trodden by foot, were small but perfectly formed with outstanding flavour and freshness in the musts.

The result is a Vintage Port which, according to wine-making director Antonio Agrellos: “is a classic example of the Quinta do Noval style and a worthy addition to the recent Quinta do Noval declarations such as 2011, 2008 and 2007”.

Quinta do Noval 2012 Vintage Port is now being bottled and shipped to customers around the world. Gonzalez Byass, Quinta do Noval’s UK agents, will have a small quantity on allocation, and are currently offering it for sale.

21 July 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor