Noval LBV 2016

CATA's notes:

Color: Dark tile red.

Nose: AND It is a red fruit juice (especially blueberries and cherries) of medium-high intensity, sweet spices (cinnamon, cloves) and balsamic, floral aromas, notes of tobacco, licorice, roasted (chocolate, cocoa) and smoke. The nose does not show much sweetness.

Mouth: In the mouth, its excellent acidity stands out, dense almost chewy, loaded with tannins, the alcohol is very well integrated (19.5º and is not annoying at all) the same fruit is present again as in the nose but somewhat sweeter, long finish highlighting the fruit and the aftertaste of licorice and something floral, in the background mineral memories.

Elaboration:

varieties of grapes : National Touriga, French Touriga, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Sousão

The grapes are trodden on foot to obtain the must, then macerated in the traditional stone vats of the Quinta known as “lagares”. Fermentation lasts 3 days.

The breeding It is aged for 4 years in large barrels called Tonéis, instead of the 2 years of a Classic Vintage. This explains the name of it, "Late Bottled Vintage". The wood used is over 30 years old, so no woody flavors are transmitted to the wine.

Curiosities:

In www.quintadonoval.com they tell us:

“2016 was a year of extremes: a warm winter with high rainfall, with 618 mm twice that of an average year. After a wet spring, the summer was very hot and dry, with some peaks of heat in August and September. At the end of August, the crop was looking very good, in excellent sanitary conditions, but ripening began to slow due to very hot and dry conditions. Fortunately, a much-needed 17 mm of rain fell on September 13, and ripening continued in ideal conditions from then on. The main part of the harvest began on September 19 with dry and sunny weather, and the fruit continued to ripen throughout the harvest period. We were able to harvest each plot in ideal conditions as ripening progressed.

Despite the unusual and extreme weather conditions of the year, the end result is of excellent quality. Port wines are exceptional, with an excellent structure, very intense bright fruit and very expressive aromatically.”