Quinta Do Noval

Quinta do Noval is responsible for the most famous of all Vintage Ports – Naçional. The roots of this estate can be traced back to the early 1700s, however with the pestilence of the late 1800s – Noval, instead of grafting the vines on American rootstocks, they miraculously managed to keep Portuguese stock – hence their unique “Naçional” wine. Today, under the direction of Christian Seely of insurance firm, AXA – Millésimes, the Port house has thrived like their similarly owned prestigious Bordeaux châteaux, such as Pichon-Longueville. Ideally situated in the heart of the Douro Valley, Quinta do Noval is the only historic Port producer that shares the same name as its vineyard. The steep hillsides are planted to the noble grape varieties of the region – the grapes flourish, producing high-grade fruit. Led by António Agrellos, the brilliant technical director, Naçional is an expansive Port, the power and depth of this wine is matched by the Portuguese earthy, spicy dark flesh characteristics that demand twenty of more years to develop.