Product details
A small plot of "pé-franco" vines, in the heart of Quinta do Noval vineyard, untouched by phylloxera. The grapes were placed in a small traditional Lagar and the foot treading was carried out by a group of 6 men for 3 hours. Fermentation took place under a temperature control of between 25° at 28°C.The National Vintage aged 18 months in old barrels before the bottling, in the Quinta's climate-controlled warehouses, in the Demarcated region of Douro. The word "Nacional" refers to the fact that these vines are Portuguese vines growing in Portuguese soil, without American rootstock, and therefore directly "rooted in the soil of the nation".
Grape Varieties:
Touriga Franca,Tinto Cão,Touriga Nacional,Sousão,Tinta Roriz
Tasting Notes:
A little closed at first, with a meaty edge to the thick black fruit, that slowly opens to reveal a lovely perfume with floral notes and cherry skins, a touch of orange marmalade even, but an edge of mineral freshness. This has terrific length, that minerality and ashy dryness of the tannins matched by the concentration and purity of the black fruit. A wine that will need considerable time, but has terrific structure and finesse too.
Store and Serve Advices:
Should be opened two hours before serving and decanted. Serve between 15º and 17º C. Store the bottle in a horizontal position, in a cool, dry and dark place.
Food Pairing:
Take with cheese like Stilton or Gorgonzola or with deserts based on red fruits or dark chocolate. Also perfect on its own.
Allergens:
Contains sulphites.
Reviews and Awards:
. 100 points in Jean-Marc Quarin;
. 98 points in Wine & Spirits Magazine;
. 98 points in Jamie Goode;
. 98 points in Tom Cannavan;
. 97 points in Robert Parker;
. 96 points in CellarTracker;
. 18,5 points in Vinum Wine Magazine.
Disclaimer:
The photo shown is a copy of one of the bottles we have available for delivery. Keep in mind that the older the wine, the more likely the bottle will have some external dirt or slightly damaged labels. This does not mean, however, that the wine is not in a condition to be consumed.
The wines from our rarity zone are stored and air-conditioned in the most correct way so that the wine ages correctly in the bottle, but over time, the wine evolves and changes its characteristics.
We recommend that you carefully remove the cork and let the wine air for some time in order to release its natural aromas. Avoid decanting as it can be a very aggressive operation for old wines.
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