Noval still wines aim for international fame

Famed Port house Quinta do Noval’s still wines are set to rival the best reds worldwide according to Christian Seely, managing director of AXA Millésimes, the owner of the brand.

“Noval has serious ambitions to produce one of the great red wines of the world,” he told the drinks business last week during a brief visit to Britain.

“This is not a shopping list [of styles] for us, we’re just interested in premium products,” he said, adding, “They should and will end up in the cellars of those who buy serious wines.

But,” he continued, “We don’t want to diminish those cellars of Bordeaux wines,” referring to the AXA Millésimes Bordeaux properties, which include Château Pichon-Longueville.

Seely’s statement came during his trip to the UK to launch the 2007 vintage of the two Noval light wines – Cedro do Noval and Quinta do Noval.

The Quinta do Noval light wine has an approximate RRP of £29.99 per bottle. It is made in small quantities from vintage port grapes and has the potential for lengthy cellaring. “This can age for as long as 20 years in bottle,” said Seely. “The difficulty is keeping them for long enough to be able to do that.”

Cedro do Noval, which has an approximate RRP of £13.99, is what Seely calls Noval’s “principal red wine that’s drinkable as soon as it comes onto the market, and with a price point similar to a Noval LBV.”

During the second vintage of Cedro, in 2005, Noval incorporated Syrah into the blend with indigenous Portuguese red grapes Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz.

Noval has been pursuing the production of light wines since 1996 and released its first light wine during the 2004 vintage.

Jane Parkinson, 05.11.2009