The tasting was led by Aymeric de Gironde, the International Sales Director for Axa Millismes, who did a great job of bridging the gap between a straight forward lecture about a grand old port house and giving a sence of the place and the people that live and work there. There was enough information to start a profile on the Qunita, so I won’t bore you with all the gritty details right now. It should be up on the site in the next couple of weeks.

We ran through the table wines, then the tawnies followed by the vintage ports. A fairly big range, but I could see the quality from the cheapest tawny through to the top end table wine.

Table wines:

Maria Mansa 2003: This wine was Noval’s first commercial attempt at a Douro table wine and its a good drink. It’s mainly a blend of the two torigas. Shisty and earthy on the nose with beetroot, plum and cherry. In the mouth it’s medium boddied and fairly straight forward but enjoyable with blueberry, cherry and plum with some pepper/hot cinnamon. 88 Pts. $33

Cedro de Noval 2005: This is named after a big old cedar that provides some shade in the courtyard at the Quinta. This is a blend of mostly syrah with the torigas and some Tinta Cao making up the balance. Flinty, shisty nose with cherry, plum and mulberry with herby undergrowth. In the mouth, it’s bright and fresh, well balanced and stylish. Silky, fine tannins frame the fruit with a bit of tar and mint. Minerals show throughout, but mostly on the finish. 91 Pts. $44

Quita do Noval 2005: This is the flagship table wine, and for the price it is excellent value. I don’t expect this to last for ever however as the prices of the top level Douro wines are heading north. This is similar in many respects to the Cedro, however the minerality and finesse are taken up a couple of notches. Gunsmoke and hot rocks on the nose with perfectly ripe plum, red cherry and blueberry.  The fruit is really expressive and the fleshy, soft tannins deliver a lush texture. At the same time, it has a backbone of acid that I think will allow it to age for quite some time. Excellent stuff. 95 Pts. $141

Port Wines

Quinta do Noval Tawny: this is the basic tawny which uses fruit from Class A growers and is made in an auto lagar. Toffee and raisin mixed in with some plum and spirit on the nose. In the mouth its tangy cherry and plum with hot cinnamon and a touch of clove. Fresh and fruity. 87 Pts. $35

Quinta do Noval 10 year old Tawny: Spirity raisins with Christmas cakes spices and mixed nuts. The palate is a bit rum and raisin with plum, rosewater and more nuts. Fresh and full of life. 90 Pts. $79

Quinta do Noval 20 year old Tawny: Smokey and nutty, with soft spirit, light raisins, old wood and an almost salty note on the nose. Very complex on the plate with layers of flavours: rose, raisins and currants, roasted walnuts, smoke and clove. Driving spirit and fairly dry too. Excellent drinking. 93 Pts.

Quita do Noval Colheita 1995: The nose on this wasn’t really giving up too much, some old wood, something a bit floral and raisins. But on the palate it explodes with vitality and fresh cherry and raisins. There is more acid here, but there is also plenty of sweetness to provide balance. Very long finish with a touch of warmth. 90 Pts. $95

Quinta do Noval LBV 2003: Plenty of fruit on the nose here: plum and dark cherry with clove and anise. This really is like a baby VP in character with plum, cherry and rosella fruit with liquorice and clove. Meaty and dense this is a ripping LBV for drinking now. 92 Pts.

Quinta do Noval ‘Sival’ Vintage Port 2005: This is made from a leased Quinta called Sival. The style here is for a lighter and earlier drinking style of vintage port than the traditional vintage from Noval. Nice juicy fruit, rosella and cherry for the most part, there is a bit of plum in there too. Anise and earthy herbs add some complexity. It’s quite brooding at the moment, but highly drinkable. 89-90 Pts. $95

Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 2004: This is the stuff. Its quite grapey and raisiny with plum and dark cherry, a little blackberry too. In the palate the first thing that hits me is the lush tannins, followed by some excellent fruit that shows perfect ripeness. More dark fruits, shot with minerals and earthy goodness. Very early in it’s life, this should grow to be a classic. 93 Pts.

Quinta do Noval Vintage Port 2003: If I thought the 2004 was good, this takes things to a different level. The nose is fully of classic douro notes: smoke and hot rocks, gun smoke and clove. Intense blackberry, dark cherry and rosella. The tannins are fleshy and ripe which give the wine luxury texture. This has all bases covered and will live a very long, full life. 97 Pts. $185

Quinta do Noval Nacional 1967: It may be the only time I ever taste this wine, so I jumped at the offer of a refill when it was offered. Old coffee beans and smoke with quality cigar tobacco, lifted up by some dried currants, varnish and some floral notes. Amazingly complex in the mouth too, layers of flavour, some grape notes, anise, raisins and old leather.  Excellent mouthfeel and the length here is amazing. The only way to describe this is: Wow. 95 Pts.

Quinta do Noval Nacional 2000: I was thinking that I would be in for a bit of a struggle here, 8 year old vintage port is generally closed down and hard going. But this was so very open and drinking like the 99 point wine that it clearly is. I was supprised that this was my favourite wine of the tasting, thinking the 67 would surely be. The nose is dense and floral with bright fruit and overwhelming sense of welcoming. Seductive and fleshy in the mouth, the wine seems delicate and light but has deep intensity, integrity and complexity. If there is a port you should have an epiphany with, this is it. If you don’t get the port bug from this wine, you don’t like port. 99 Pts.

These mid-priced Douro seem to be were it’s at, I think you get the best expression for the price at around $40-60, with good value at the low end. The top end wines, while outstanding, are starting to get up there in price ($170 for the Meao top bottling, the new Vallado super deluxe job will come in over $300 here if it’s imported). It’s not that they aren’t great wines…

That classic sooty, rocky shist note kicks things off on the  nose followed by some juicy plum, blueberry and cherry with a bit a clove pepper. The acid level is quite high for a Douro red and gives a good balance to the meaty, flesh tannins. Savoury and flavour packed on the palate: plums and cherry, with a touch of rosella with subtle christmas cake spices and a mineral crunch. A generous long finish. Very moreish in this cold weather. 91 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $55  Closure: Conventional Cork

After a week off from drinking, I thought I’d ease myself back into tasting with a bottle of port and some blue cheese on Sunday afternoon. The cheese is Valdeon, made in the Picos de Europa areas of Léon and Asturias from mostly cows milk, with a little bit of goat for tang. It’s fairly punchy, but still quite creamy. It goes well with the quince paste and port, so I’m a happy chap.

One thing I’ve noticed around town is how much the price of these imported cheeses vary a lot. I buy most of my Spanish stuff from Casa Iberica (25 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, (03) 9419 4420) and just about everything is half the price of the ‘gourmet’ stores around Melbourne (i.e. Valdeon is $38/kilo at Casa Iberica and $70 from the Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder cheese club).

Very dark in the glass with aromas of clove, pepper, nutmeg, dark cherry and plum with a bit of shisty rock. Dense and intense in the mouth, a mix of sweet and savoury that I pick up in a lot of Niepoort’s wines. The palate shows more dark cherry, rosella and plum with Dr. Pepper, christmas cake spices and a touch of chinoto on the finish. I think this may need some chill out time in the cellar (it’s not filtered, so it will improve) to show its best. 88+ Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $48 (750ml) Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.niepoort-vinhos.com

Browsing through their website I noticed that they don’t make a lot of this wine, just 9,400 bottles of the 03 were made. I think I will need a six pack for the cellar, hopefully there is enough to go around.

A smooth, exotic nose of plum, dark cherry, star anise, rosella, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg with a hint of spirit in the background. The palate is open with Class A, Export Quality tannins the provide a luxurious mouth feel. Some mild sweetness and some acid to back it all up. Warm blackcurrant, plum and cherry fruit with cola and more star anise. Very minerally. The finish is very generous and leaves the taste of Christmas cake spices and plum pudding in the mouth. This is very enjoyable now, and had me reaching for a second glass every time. Drink over the next 2 years, then cellar for 10 after that. 93 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $115 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.valedonamaria.com

However, the the chaps at Niepoort have decided to use very large wooden vats for their ruby port. So this wine gets a bit of oxygen contact, but still retains a very deep red colour. It stays in the vats for about 3 years, then into bottle and then its off around the world.

Its starts of with a nose of spirity blackberry and dark cherry and adds some Christmas cake spices and nuts. In the mouth it’s smooth and quite long with a hit of quality spirit. Loads of dark cherry on the palate with some blackberry and blackcurrant, more spices and a touch of minerals. Plenty to like hear, and very cheap for what it is. 88 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $30 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.niepoort-vinhos.com

This LBV is made from Tinta Amarela, Rufete, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, Touriga Nacional, and Sousão. The fruit is crushed by trodding in the traditional lagares. Then into old woodern vats for 4 years until it’s bottled. This wine is not filtered and will have a bit of a crust. So decant if that bothers you. This gets a bit better if you leave it open for a few days too.

Lovely nose of walnut and clove with some plum and cherry pie, notes of fine spirit. Smooth with some grippy tannins in the mouth, restrained sweetness, good integration of fruit and spirit and a very long finish. The palate is all class: sweet plums and blackberry, pepper and cinnamon, liquorice and chinotto. A good way to kick off the port drinking season without blowing the budget. 91 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $36 (375ml) Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.valedonamaria.com

I spent saturday diving in and out of air condition spaces, hopefully we'll get some relief later this week. I dropped over to a mate's place for long overdue catchup on Saturday night. Thankfully he has air con, so it was quite comfortable to sit back with a couple of reds. I have a stack of good wines on the way (Mostly 05s: Clos Mogador, Numanthia, Flor de Pingus, with Roda 04s being released soon too), but I won't get the them until after Easter I think, its just too hot. Anyway this went down well.

A fairly straight forward, but quality Douro red, aromas of plum, mulberry and cherry with pepper and clove.  Warm and inviting in the mouth, a bit rustic with big, soft tannins and a lick of acid on the finish.  The palate is more toward the plum end of things, but also shows cherry and mulberry with some earth and clove.  Very enjoyable, it would do well with a good lamb dish. 88 Pts.

If you've ever had even a passing interest in Port, you will have heard of Quinta do Noval. This most be one of the most iconic Port houses going and they are now making table wine in the Douro. They have come a bit later to the game than many, but the wines are bloody good. This is the second wine and its a winner, friendly, plenty of Douro character and it doesn't break the bank. Well packaged too.

The nose starts off with something that I'm calling schisty: soot, hot rocks and earth along with some clove, sweet plum, cherry and pepper. Well balanced and smooth with supple tannins and loads of minerals on the finish. There is some great savoury fruit on the palate plums, cherries and rosella mixed in with some chocolate, pepper and minerals. Its a bit meaty, but very stylish. As is usual for Portuguese wines, acid is more of a supporting player, but here it plays its part well. An excellent addition to the growing range of Douro reds available in Australia. 91 Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars Price: $44 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.quintadonoval.com

I had a bottle of this wine back in September, at the time I loved the nose but thought the palate was a bit flat. This time around I had the wine in a blind line-up of 3 bottles to see if anything had changed. This is my note and score from the tasting.

Deep red with a purple tint.  Aromas of burnt rocks, coffee, violets and plums, pepper and spice. Sars and rosella fruit(hibiscus flower). Sweet, ripe fruit with plenty of pepper.  Plum and cherry, chistmas cake spices.  Light, fluffy tannins, a lick of good acid.  Quite tight and focused, a bit pez on the finish.  91 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $35 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.quintadovallado.com

Other Vintages: 2005 

2006 is looking quite good for the Douro so far, the 2005s are undoubtedly excellent however.  A whole raft are now available or on their way in the next month or so.

Dark purple/red in colour, this one bolts out of the blocks with plum, mulberry and blueberry with pepper and meaty notes.  Lots of plush, comfy tannins and a touch of acid.  Juby fruit: plum, red currents and blueberry with a bit of cola and earthy, charry spice.  Far too easy to drink and enjoy.  89 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $28 Closure: Conventional Cork

Other vintages: 2005

Dark red and purple in the glass with intense aromas of clove, mulberry, white pepper, raisins, plums and dates.  Well textured in the mouth with a sweet/savoury thing going on.  Just the right level of sweetness and very good length.  Bursting with Christmas cake, plum, and mulberry on the palate.  This is great value, I don't think you'll find better for the money.  90 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $26 (375ml) Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.niepoort-vinhos.com

This wine is a field blend of Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and National with a dollop of Sousao.  I'm calling most of these wine from the Douro simply: Douro field blends.  It saves typing.  Most of the wine is fermented in stainless steel, with 20% in 1 to 2 year old French oak.

A great douro nose of Sarsaparilla, clove, violets, earth, old fireplace and blackberry.  Savoury and textured in the mouth, well balanced and easy to drink.  After that great nose the palate is a bit lacking, not bad just flat.  A bit of sars, smoke, pepper, red cherry and plums.  If the palate lived up to the nose, this would scoring something in the low 90s, but its worth a look regardless.  88 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $35 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.quintadovallado.com

This is the early drinker from the guys and girls and Quinta do Crasto.  Its a blend of mostly Tinta Roriz and the two Tourigas: Nacional and Franca.  That's about all the info I have a the moment, I'll update this post when I get some more info.  Regardless, this is a very handy wine to have hanging around, highly drinkable and very different flavours.  Good winter/spring drinking.

Deep red at the centre with purple towards the rim.  Starts off with sarsaparilla, sooty earth, blackberry, blueberries and baking spices.  With some more air, a kind of salty note and the spices turn into cloves.  Very nice.  In the mouth its open and inviting, there is some good texture with nice tannins.  A bit low on acid, but this increases the drinkablity.  On the palate it shows sunny plums, pepper, clove and nutmeg, cherry liqueur and cola.  Good length and some minerals on the finish.  Drink over the next couple of years.  88 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $24 Closure: Conventional Cork

Cristiano van Zeller is a fairly big name in the Port game.  He was part owner in one of the most prestigious port houses, Quinta do Noval, for many years and branched out on his own in 1993.  He started off making table wines and when the lease came up on his wife's family vineyard, Qunta do Vale Dona Maria, they quickly took over and started a reno project. 

The wine is made in a more tradition way,foot trodding in concrette lagares etc, from vines from a particular area of the vineyard.

Now this is a port that is open for business.  Wide open.  I would challenge any wine lover to stop at one glass of this stuff.  Its full of raisins, currents, plum mixed with Christmas spice, hot cinnamon and black pepper.  Smooth and luscious, the tannins give great texture and the sweetness is well balanced by the acid and not over-powering.  There are some crunchy minerals and sarsaparilla/cola that add even more interest.  Great stuff, full of character and all the flavour you want in a good Vintage Port. 93 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $105 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.valedonamaria.com

So no real tasting note on this one, more of an impression.  There is some intense, pure fruit there waiting to come out, a bit of aniseed and Christmas cake spices (nutmeg, cinnamon etc).  The sweetness level is just right, with big brawny structure and to-die-for tannins.  I think it's going to be great in 10-20s years, whatever you do, don't drink it now.  If Tinto y Blanco in still going in 2017, I'll let you know.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $110 (375ml) Closure: Conventional Cork