Nacional 1996 Quinta do Noval

Tasting Notes

The first thing you notice is depth. Black figs, crushed blackberries and characteristic Nacional notes of iron and cassis. There are also touches of wood smoke, dried violets and bitter chocolate. On the palate, the wine is dense, not heavy, fortified at about 19-20%, but surprisingly calm. The tannins remain firm. The finish is long, savory and faintly salty.

Grape Varieties

Nacional is a blend harvested and pressed in the vineyard. The following varieties are planted in the plots:

• Touriga Nacional: structure and floral aromas.
• Touriga Franca: fruit and softness.
• Tinta Roriz: structure.
• Tinto Cão: spice and acidity.
• Sousão: color and lift.

Vines ungrafted, mixed planting.

Cellaring Potential

The 1996 Nacional is still drinking well today, but there's no rush. It will last until 2040, maybe even longer. Vintage ports of this class usually age for 30 to 50 years; store horizontally at 12-14°C and decant carefully. There is considerable sediment.

The Producer

Quinta do Noval is the only historic port to bear the name of its own vineyard and the only port to produce a vintage port solely from its own harvest. This is important. Most shippers blend quintas. Noval does not, and since AXA Millésimes bought the estate in 1993, the estate has declared Nacional only when the quality is undeniable. Notably, Nacional has been declared in years when the standard vintage was not. This level of discipline, we believe, is what makes Nacional what it is.

Terroir & Climate

Nacional's vineyards are located in Cima Corgo, northeast of Pinhão, the center of high quality port wine production. The defining feature here is the shale (xisto), which breaks vertically, allowing the roots of the vines to penetrate deep in search of water. In a region with hot, dry summers and little rainfall in July and August, these deep roots are essential for survival. The terraces face in different directions and range in elevation from 100 to 500 meters.

Winemaking

Nacional is produced in the same way as port wine was two centuries ago. The grapes are placed in granite tanks called lagares and foot-trodden. Human feet can extract color and tannins from the skins without crushing the seeds. Then aguardente (a grape spirit with 77% alcohol by volume) is added to stop fermentation, locking in the natural sweetness and fortifying the wine to around 20% alcohol. The wine is then aged in old wooden vats for about 18 months before bottling.

Food Pairing

Vintage Port is the wine that completes a meal. The classic combination with Douro still holds true today:

• Stilton or other aged blue cheeses
• the salt reduces the sweetness.
• Walnuts and dried figs
• Dark chocolate, ideally 70% or more.
• A plain plate of aged hard cheeses is also good.

Serve at 16-18°C (61-64°F), slightly lower than room temperature. Decant at least 2 hours before serving to bring out the aromas and separate the sediment.