2024 Vintage Ports from Quinta do Noval
Noval are frequently out on their own when it comes to declaring Vintage Port. This magnificent estate overlooking the Pinhão valley has declared every year in the last decade when most of the other major shippers have decided against a ‘classic’ declaration in all but one or two years. With 192 hectares of vineyard, overflowing into the neighbouring Roncão valley, Noval has as plenty of good grapes to draw on. But the clue to their vintage policy comes from the word ‘quinta’ and this single estate in the ownership of AXA Millésimes behaves more like a Bordeaux château than a traditional Port shipper.
In 2024 this is clearly a source of some frustration for Christian Seely who heads the company and winemaker António Agrellos. At a time when the other shippers have been dissing the last seven years to emphasise the significance of recently declared 2024s, Noval has been forced into defending their wines over the past decade or more, all of which justified declaration.
But 2024 is clearly a cut apart. Seely himself says that in 2024 ‘the results were excellent for several parcels of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa [others call it by the newer name ‘Touriga Franca’], and Sousão…. and various other old vine field blend [vinha velha] parcels were exceptional’. António Agrellos added that ‘we even included some Tinta Roriz in our blends, which shows you just how good this vintage is’. Consequently they declared three different wines from 2024, Passadouro, Noval and Noval Nacional, all on show at the AXA Millésimes tasting in London in June 2026, a month-and-a-half after bottling. Two earlier vintages (including 2017, the last vintage declared by most shippers) were also on show and I have included these below.
Quinta do Passadouro 2024 ****
From a separate estate, located deep in the Pinhão valley at Vale de Mendiz, a blend of 54% Touriga Nacional, 26% Touriga Francesa, 10% old vine field blend, 8% Tinta Roriz, 6% Sousão: bright, mid-deep youthful crimson; bright and vibrant on the nose with a lovely fruit-driven, floral character (led by fragrant Touriga Nacional) which António Agrellos describes as ‘classic Vale de Mendiz’; similarly fresh and forward on the palate, lovely pure berry fruit backed by peppery tannic grip with a lovely leafy streak on to a linear finish. Not a big wine but very immediate and with considerable finesse, this can be drunk with great pleasure now and will continue to develop well over the next twenty years or so. Just 555 cases in total. 17
Quinta do Noval 2024 *****
A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 17% Touriga Francesa, 10% Sousão, 3% Tinta Roriz and 30% old vine field blend: deep, opaque with a bright crimson rim; rich, profound with perfumed wild mint, a touch of esteva (gum cistus) and dark chocolate concentration on the nose, rich to the core if still a little raw; textural richness on the palate with lovely ripe, fleshy fruit backed by soft yet structured ripe tannins leading to a mouth-filling finish, perhaps not showing as much definition as some 2024s and this stage but complete and magnificent overall. 2380 cases in total. 19
Quinta do Noval Nacional 2024 *****
From one plot of legendary, interplanted ungrafted vines, the grapes picked over one morning on 20th September 2024 (which incidentally coincides with the customary start of vintage 20 years ago): Very similar in depth of colour to the Noval above but much more closed-in and quite sullen on the nose at this stage but dense with underlying concentration; more expressive on the palate with glorious, slightly exotic ripeness (a touch of orange and chutney perhaps), wonderful texture with dense yet smooth, fine-grained tannins rising in the mouth leading to a long ripe firm finish with sweetness (108g/l) just verging on jammy yet still fresh and bright. Multi-dimensional and very fine. A statuesque wine with near perfect poise and a long lifeline. Just 167 cases in total. 20
Quinta do Noval 2023 ****
From a year with a near perfect growing season and a harvest interrupted by rain; good, deep youthful colour with a thin crimson rim; focused without being quite as dense as the 2024 Noval on the nose, still tight knit with more to give; lovely, expressive, ripe berry fruit with a slightly stalky edge, not as rich as the 2024 but very nicely defined with spicy-peppery tannins rising in the mouth and leading to a firm finish. Drink from 2038. 18
Quinta do Noval 2017 ****
From the last generally declared Port vintage, an excellent year: mid-deep in colour but still youthful after nine years in bottle; open with a rather ‘old fashioned’ sort of nose, leather and spice with some bitter chocolate focus underlying; sweet, slightly exotic berry fruit with gentle spicy tannins and a ripe, solid, firm finish. Perhaps going through a rather strange phase, this needs at least another 5 years in bottle before it being approachable. 17.5
