Here is a first for us, a dry wine offering from Portugal. As many of you know Quinta do Noval is one of the top estates for Porto wines. It makes sense that they could produce a great dry wine from the same grapes that go into their port. They use different vineyard blocks and pick at different times for their dry wines. The 2016 Reserva looks to be an amazing success and a great buy for the money. Our price is far below the suggested retail by quite a bit here as well. It’s the perfect time to check out the fantastic dry wines from the Douro valley which typically go for a lot more than this!
Wine Advocate (Mark Squires) 95 pts! The 2016 Reserva, rebranded from the former Estate Tinto with just Quinta do Noval on the label, is a blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca and various others, all aged for ten months in French oak of varying ages (only 35% new). It comes in at 14% alcohol. A bit richer than the 2015 (also reviewed as the Tinto, the estate red), while maintaining the same tannic structure and fresh feel, this is also nicely textured with a wave of velvet up front. It maintains sophisticated and gorgeous mid-palate finesse too. This has the potential to be special, one of the best I've seen in the brand, if not the best table wine from Noval. To me, this has a bit better balance than the 2015. Carlos Agrellos said he preferred it, and he's right—if only by a little. The competition will be fierce over the next couple of decades, and that conclusion may change on these very powerful and very young wines. It is worth leaning up on this beauty's evaluation just now, but take note—that is for unrealized potential, and this was only in bottle for about two weeks when seen. It should age very well, by the way, but let's start here. At some point, it will need reevaluation.
2016 Quinta do Noval Douro Reserva
2016 Quinta do Noval Douro Reserva
Here is a first for us, a dry wine offering from Portugal. As many of you know Quinta do Noval is one of the top estates for Porto wines. It makes sense that they could produce a great dry wine from the same grapes that go into their port. They use different vineyard blocks and pick at different times for their dry wines. The 2016 Reserva looks to be an amazing success and a great buy for the money. Our price is far below the suggested retail by quite a bit here as well. It’s the perfect time to check out the fantastic dry wines from the Douro valley which typically go for a lot more than this!
Wine Advocate (Mark Squires) 95 pts! The 2016 Reserva, rebranded from the former Estate Tinto with just Quinta do Noval on the label, is a blend of 60% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca and various others, all aged for ten months in French oak of varying ages (only 35% new). It comes in at 14% alcohol. A bit richer than the 2015 (also reviewed as the Tinto, the estate red), while maintaining the same tannic structure and fresh feel, this is also nicely textured with a wave of velvet up front. It maintains sophisticated and gorgeous mid-palate finesse too. This has the potential to be special, one of the best I've seen in the brand, if not the best table wine from Noval. To me, this has a bit better balance than the 2015. Carlos Agrellos said he preferred it, and he's right—if only by a little. The competition will be fierce over the next couple of decades, and that conclusion may change on these very powerful and very young wines. It is worth leaning up on this beauty's evaluation just now, but take note—that is for unrealized potential, and this was only in bottle for about two weeks when seen. It should age very well, by the way, but let's start here. At some point, it will need reevaluation.
