Nacional 1999 Quinta do Noval

Tasting Notes

The first thing you notice when you pour the wine is its depth. Concentrated black fruits, figs, dried violets and smoky nuances of slate soil. In the mouth, the flavors are dense but not heavy, and the Sousão and Tinto Cão give the wine grip and a characteristic jelly-like sharpness on the finish. The tannins are still present but integrated, and the strength (around 19-20% alcohol for a fortified Port) keeps everything going without being hot. Long, dark and mineral. Serious bottle.

Grape Varieties

Nacional is a field blend, where all the varieties are planted together and vinified together on this site.

• Touriga Nacional: floral aromas and structure.
• Touriga Franca, the main Douro variety.
• Tinta Roriz (known elsewhere as Tempranillo).
• Tinto Cão: low-yielding but powerful.
• Sousão: gives acidity and dark color.

Cellaring Potential

After more than 25 years, the 1999 Nacional is at an excellent drinking age. It can easily be opened between now and 2040+. With its schist-based structure and fine balance of sugar and acid, this wine will keep for a very long time; store it at 12-14°C. Decant one hour before serving.

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.