2011 went down as an exceptional vintage for the Douro’s growers and winemakers. The wines this estate made that year were widely acclaimed – which should come as no surprise. The 2012 declaration – on the other hand – was a bit surprising. Few Port producers declared a vintage that year. Happily, Noval did and shipped a wine that is outstanding. It shows a dense bramble, blackcurrant, plum and spice core. It is not overly sweet and shows real subtlety on the palate as well as tannic structure and a length of finish that suggests a long and illustrious life lies ahead for this wine.