Quinta do noval Vintage Port Nacional 2021

As to the tiny production 2021 Vintage Port Nacional, it's a much more inward, reserved, concentrated effort that demands bottle age but clearly brings another level of density and elegance over the classic cuvée. Ripe black fruits, iron, graphite, liquid violet, and spice notes define the bouquet, and like the classic Quinta Do Noval, it takes lots of air to shed its baby fat and offer a hint of the complexity that will develop with cellaring. It too has a semblance of the 2019 and shows a fresher, focused style that's backed up by gorgeous extract, mid-palate density, and length – albeit, if you're looking for a massive, opulent style of Port, this might not be your best bet. Regardless, this has everything: purity, complexity, texture, balance, concentration, and length. A stunning Port, it deserves 10-15 years in the cellar and will evolve gracefully for three quarters of a century.

By Jeb Dunnuck October 2023