Quinta do Noval
Noval BLACK Reserve Port NV
Douro Valley, Portugal
Almost from when it was first introduced In 2010, Noval BLACK Reserve has helped generate interest in the use of port in cocktails, hearkening to the history of port’s use on the back bar a century ago, and with its complexity and balance adding a dynamic new element in today’s cocktail utopia.
Noval BLACK Reserve was created to celebrate a decade after the near total rehabilitation of the historic Noval vineyard, arguably the Douro Valley’s greatest. The major replantings emphasizing only the best traditional grape varieties, the move of the cellar to the vineyard rather than Vila Nova de Gaia several hours away for total control, and several other factors meant that the fruit being grown at Noval had reached a historic high.
Noval BLACK Reserve is a clear expression of the Noval style, no ageing and no decanting necessary. No complications, just a great glass of Port.
The style of Noval BLACK Reserve is entirely about emphasizing the quality of this fruit, through use of estate fruit, gentle handling (including foot treading), and vinification aiming for transparency. You could say it is the most wine-like of ruby reserve ports, and that is the secret to its flexibility, in cocktails, chilled, and even on ice.
Noval BLACK Reserve is a revolutionary style of ruby port. The bright aromatics, incredible freshness and perfect balance bring it outside the stodgy “vintage-character” category. Enjoy it any time: Chilled. Before dinner. After. For a seductive edge to cocktails. As an indulgence with chocolate. The custom-designed bottle is distinctive, modern yet timeless, reflecting the uniqueness of Noval BLACK Reserve.
VINEYARD
After 15 years tireless years of work re-planting this legendary estate in Pinhão, Noval is seeing fruit at a quality level exceeding its highest expectations. At least 50% of the grapes that go into Noval BLACK Reserve come from their own vineyard. Additional fruit is sourced from exclusively A-rated vineyards in the Cima Corgo, the most famous of the three sub-regions in the Douro Valley. As a premium ruby port expressing a deep color and a high aromatic complexity, it carries the ‘Reserve’ designation.
WINEMAKING
Noval BLACK Reserve is a blend of six traditional Portuguese grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão. 50% of the grapes are trodden by foot in lagares, traditional stone vats from the Quinta. The rest are vinified by pumps over in stainless steel vats. This mechanical pressing process was designed specifically for Noval, geared to the requirements of the technical team. The wine is matured for two years in large oak casks and steel vats to preserve the wine’s freshness.
COCKTAIL IDEAS
Black Chilled:
Serve chilled. Cool temperatures bring out the freshness of ripe berries and the warmth of spices.
Black with Chocolate:
An indulgent any-time treat with dark chocolate.
Black & Stormy:
– 1 oz. Noval Black Port
– 1 oz. Goslings Black Seal Rum
– 1 oz. House Ginger Beer
– 0.5 oz. Lime Juice
– 0.5 oz. Simple Syrup
Shake with ice and garnish with a lime wheel, skewered to a piece of candied ginger and a blackberry.
Noval Cup
– 2 oz. Noval Black Port
– 0.5 oz. Lemon Juice
– 0.5 oz. Simple Syrup
– 1 Strawberry
Muddle the strawberry with the simple syrup, then add the rest of the ingredients. Shake with ice and fine strain into a collins glass, filled with ice.
Top with 2 oz. Club Soda. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.
Black Singular Sangeree:
– 1.5 oz. Noval Black Port
– 0.75 oz. Cognac VSOP
– 0.5 oz. orange liqueur
– 2 Dashes of Orange Bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Top with 1.5 oz. Champagne. Garnish with an orange twist.
Color
Red
Appellation
Douro Valley, Portugal
Alcohol
19.5%
Suggested Retail Price
$23.00
Reviews
"A staple for a new generation of Port drinkers"
Wine & Spirits Magazine - August 8, 2018 “Black replaces LB, Noval’s former entry in this range, and uses top-quality fruit to create a soft, accommodating texture. The aromas are purple-black while the flavors are pure black cherry. Acidity spices it up and adds to the juiciness of the finish. It’s plump in the middle and supple all the way through, ending on fruit-skin tannin and a touch of chocolate from oak. At the level of many of the region’s best LBVs, this wine may become a staple for a new generation of Port drinkers.” 91 Points Wine & Spirits Magazine
"It's a terrific, forward, sexy Port"
Jeb Dunnuck - August 8, 2018 "The NV Black cuvée comes half from estate vineyards (the rest is sourced from the Cima Corgo region in the Douro Valley) and is aged two years in larger oak and stainless-steel vats. At 20 bucks, it’s a terrific, forward, sexy Port offering lots of currants, raisins, candied olives, and dried herb aromas and flavors. It’s worth buying." - Jeb Dunnuck
"Pointed, ripe and chock full of flavor
Wine Advocate - February 4, 2019 "The NV Black Ruby Reserve Porto is mostly Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Tinto Cão aged in an equal mixture of oak and stainless steel. It comes in with 100 grams of residual sugar per liter. This has many fine attributes, but the most important is that it seems very much like Noval. Laced with an invigorating eucalyptus/cistus aromatic, it is always elegant in the mid-palate yet somehow still solid, something I find Noval does very well. It was one of the relatively few in this report that actually seemed better two days later (and most of the others were unfiltered). There is plenty of finesse and lift to the fruit. It is pointed, ripe and chock full of flavor while still showing off some power and structure. This was, in fact, a bit tight on opening. One of the more distinctive Reserves (in part, thanks to the aromatics), this is very well done at a good price point. It became one of my favorites. It is lovely and exceeds expectations, so I'm leaning up on this a bit. It should still be drunk young, as it won't reward aging."
"Tons of Character for a Great Price"
Jeb Dunnuck - February 10, 2023 "I always love this cuvée, which offers tons of character for a great price. Classic Noval notes of spicy red and blue fruits, orange blossom, cigar, tobacco, and candied mint emerge from the NV Black, and It's round, supple, and full-bodied on the palate, with nicely balanced sugar, a layered yet elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. Delivering richness as well as freshness, you could certainly do a lot worse for the price." J.D 2/23
Reviews
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Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Douro Reserva
Douro Valley, Portugal
Very powerful and structured, it is outstanding for its finesse, a delicate character typical of the Quinta do Noval style. It is derived from a strict selection of the best batches of the Quinta's various indigenous grape varieties. This wine is delicious when young and ages well in the cellar.
Fine White Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
A white port made with traditional white grape varietals from the Douro Valley. It is a blend of wines aged between 2 and 3 years to create a wine that is fruity, fine, sweet, unctuous, with a good aromatic persistence.
Branco Reserva
Douro Valley, Portugal
An authentic white wine with the ambitious to represent the best white wine produced in the Douro Valley. It is derived from a strict selection of the best batches of the Quinta's various indigenous grape varieties. Rich and structured, it is outstanding for its finesse and intensity
Vinhas da Marka
Douro Valley
Vinhas da Marka is the very first edition of a new exciting project called ‘Terroir Series’. Every edition will focus on one specific terroir that was identified that year as exceptional. A few years ago, Quinta do Noval concluded an agreement with the Agrellos family for the long term lease of the vineyard of Quinta da Marka, which we had identified as having terroir of exceptional potential. This potential was revealed by the outstanding red wines produced in the 2019 vintage. It was so remarkable, that the Noval team has decided to release a very limited volume of that wine. Only 200 bottles was brought into the US.
Fine Ruby Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
This is a deep-colored lively, peppery wine full of fresh fruit flavors it is bottled after three years in cask. An ideal Port for informal drinking.
Late Bottled Vintage Single Vineyard Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
This wine is a remarkable example of the Noval style. Treated exactly like a Vintage Port with only noble grape varieties that sourced exclusively from estate vineyards, trodden by foot and unfiltered. This expression differs in its extended aging, seeing five years in casks instead of the typical two years for Vintage Ports. Definitely an LBV with a difference, this wine has fine structured tannins, great freshness and purity of fruit. It is delicious to drink today, but will age beautifully in its bottle.
Tawny 40 Year Old Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
Noval was the first port house to introduce blended tawnies with an indication of average age. Their eldest offering, the Noval Tawny 40 Year Old Port, is a remarkable representation of the quintessence of the Noval Tawny style: a profoundly concentrated and complex old wine, the memory of the house.
Cedro do Noval Branco
Douro Valley, Portugal
Named after the emblematic cedar tree that dominates Quinta do Noval's terrace, Cedro do Noval is an authentic expression of the Douro. It is made at Quinta do Noval using carefully selected grapes 100 % grown on the highest steeply terraced vineyards of Quinta do Noval, in the heart of the Douro Valley, in Northern Portugal.
Touriga Nacional
Douro DOC
Intense and concentrated, with fine tannic structure, Touriga Nacional is distinguished by its delicacy, a characteristic of the Quinta do Noval style. It is the product of a strict selection from the best lots produced by our Quinta in any given year.
Colheita
Douro Valley
Colheita is a Vintage Tawny Port. Wheras Tawnies with an indication of age show the house style, Vintage Tawnies show the personality of the vintage year. Colheita spends its entire life in barrel until the moment of bottling. On the nose they are fresh, powerful and fruit-forward, with balanced acidity. On the palate they have a nutty, oxidized character with a seductively smooth finish.