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Quinta do Noval Winery Guide

Cellar Tours Insight — Since 2003, Cellar Tours has planned private wine journeys through the world’s leading wine regions, pairing tailor-made itineraries with VIP winery visits, fine dining, and expert regional guidance.

Winery Overview

Perched high on the steep terraced slopes northeast of Pinhão, Quinta do Noval is a captivating destination for wine enthusiasts. The breathtaking views of endless vineyards are mesmerizing. As you explore the estate and delve into its rich history, the enchantment captures you. And that’s even before you can taste their legendary wines! The vineyards of Noval have a storied past, originally planted over 300 years ago and later re-established after the devastation caused by phylloxera in the late 1800s. António José da Silva, a distinguished port wine shipper from Vila Nova de Gaia, replanted most of the vineyards and preserved a select few precious vines.

The new owner reserved these vines exclusively for exceptional vintage wines, giving birth to “The Magic of Nacional Vintage.” This extraordinary vintage port wine comes from an untouched plot in the heart of the vineyard, where the grapes grow on ungrafted vines. Quinta do Noval proudly bears the vineyard’s name and is renowned for its flagship wine, Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage.

Throughout its extensive history, Quinta do Noval has achieved numerous milestones and received well-deserved acclaim. The Vintage Declaration of 1931 was a significant moment, a defining period for the estate. While the world was going through economic challenges and many Port shippers refrained from declaring a vintage that year due to overproduction in the late 1920s, Noval boldly made the declaration. This decision elevated them to the forefront of leading Port houses. As a result, Quinta do Noval Nacional Vintage 1931 has achieved legendary status among wine lovers and experts alike.

Noval is also known for its LBV Ports, a style bottled later than Vintage Port and designed to offer some Vintage Port character with earlier drinkability. LBV Ports spend longer in wood before bottling, making them smoother and more approachable when young, while Vintage Ports are bottled earlier and generally require much longer bottle aging. Presently, Quinta do Noval is part of AXA Millésimes, the international wine group that has owned the estate since 1993. Its portfolio includes renowned estates such as Château Suduiraut, Château Pichon Baron, Château Pibran, Domaine de l’Arlot, Disznókö in Hungary, Outpost and Platt Vineyard in Napa, and Quinta do Noval in the Douro Valley. Noval continues to produce exceptional, dry DOC wines alongside their world-famous Ports. Both styles reflect the unique terroir and remain faithful to the estate’s heritage, showcasing supremely high-quality fruit that eloquently expresses itself in every bottle.

For private clients, Cellar Tours can arrange tailored Douro Valley wine experiences that may include premium Port and DOC Douro tastings, expert local guidance, chauffeured logistics, and carefully selected quinta visits. A private tasting in the Douro can offer a deeper understanding of the region’s great wine traditions, from aged Tawny and LBV Ports to Vintage Port, Nacional, and the increasingly serious dry table wines now produced in the valley.

Private Wine Tours in the Douro Valley

Private Wine Tours in the Douro Valley

Explore the Douro Valley with private quinta visits, superb Port and table wine tastings, refined regional dining, and elegant stays amid terraced vineyards.

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Author

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Genevieve Mc Carthy

Genevieve, originally from San Diego, California, has spent the last 25 years living in Europe, primarily in Spain, Ireland, and Italy. She has a background in the wine industry, having worked for a top wine importer in Ireland and a prestigious winery in Italy's Franciacorta region. In 2003, Genevieve founded Cellar Tours, a boutique wine tours company based in Madrid, Spain. She holds wine education credentials from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in London and has a strong network within the European wine industry. Genevieve specializes in organizing VIP tours to exclusive wineries that are not accessible to the general public. With a passion for food and wine, fluency in multiple languages, and expertise in luxury travel and tourism, Genevieve has built a successful career in creating unique wine experiences.

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