Quinta do Noval, 2022

Vintage Port, Douro
Case of 6x75cl bottles
En Primeur Offer - In Bond
Delivery late 2024.

Description and Reviews:
The 2022 Vintage marks the twelfth consecutive Vintage Port release from Quinta do Noval, in line with their long-held belief that the quality of the vintage, not the market, should be the only determining factor in whether a Vintage Port is made. Equilibrium, harmony, finesse and elegance characterise Noval's great Vintage Ports, which are declared only when they are certain that the year has produced a blend, however small, that is worthy of bearing the name of Quinta do Noval Vintage Port.

Tasting Note:
Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 2022 impresses with its remarkable concentration, showcasing the characteristic luscious ripe fruit flavours of black plums, violets, and wild berries that Noval is renowned for. All these attributes, which highlight the Vale de Mendiz terroir, possess depth and spice, complemented by a delightful perfume that intertwines seamlessly with its velvety, luxurious texture.

Quinta do Noval and 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 Vintage 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.
Of course, in very great years, when there is unanimity among Port producers, and a General Declaration results, Quinta do Noval will declare its wine also, and perhaps with a little more wine than usual. But whatever the year, the standards of selection in the Noval tasting room are extremely rigorous, and even in the more generous years volumes of our Vintage Ports are always extremely small: at the very most, up to 15% of the production of our great vineyard terroir.

Characteristics of the 2022 Vintage
2022 will stand out as a remarkably dry year with unprecedented weather conditions in our region. So extraordinary were these conditions that even our oldest and most seasoned vineyard workers could not remember ever having experienced anything similar. Nonetheless, this growing season also showed the remarkable resilience of the Douro’s vineyards and grape varieties.
The rainfall recorded at Quinta do Noval during the viticultural year was 364mm, 276mm below the 1970/2000 average. The weather conditions were favourable during flowering in May and during fruit set. With a high number of bunches, a good harvest was expected.
From the 7th to the 15th of July a heatwave brought daily temperatures above 40°C, even reaching 45,5°C at Quinta do Noval – and it was on July 15th that Pinhão recorded Portugal’s highest ever temperature at 47°C. From July 30th to August 10th, we experienced another heatwave with temperatures above 40°C.



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