Quinta do Noval declares 2015 vintage

Port house Quinta do Noval has declared a 2015 vintage, the latest in a string of declarations in the region.

Christian Seely, managing director of Quinta do Noval, commented on the estate’s unique approach to declarations: “Noval follows its own path in its approach to Vintage Port. If we believe that we have wines of the quality and personality to join the ranks of the Quinta do Noval Ports of previous years, we will bottle it and declare it, even if this means declaring several years in a row, and even if it means, as is often the case, bottling only a few hundred cases of Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, representing a tiny percentage of the total production of the Quinta, in some years less than 3% of our production.

“In the case of the 2015 where wines of great quality were relatively abundant, the 2,600 cases produced nevertheless represent just 9% of the total production.”

Weather conditions over the year were straightforward but not without challenges. Winter was cold and dry, although 2014 had been exceptionally wet so there was a good amount of water in the soil. This sustained the vines spring and summer very hot with an outbreak of rain in August.

The harvest began in “glorious weather” on 2 September but then, with 30% of the harvest brought in, it rained from 13-16 September. Everything paused for a week and then restarted on the 24th under clear skies once more.

The wines were noted as being, “promising from the moment [the] grapes were crushed in the lagares, showing deep colour.”

The wine is described as having, “great aromatic intensity and purity of fruit. The nose has wild spicy black pepper notes, with great freshness and balance on the palate. There is an underlying strong tannic backbone.”

A limited allocation is available from the quinta’s UK agent, Gonzalez Byass.