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.