2003 Quinta do Noval
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Tasting notes
Full bottle 1,341 g. (Not many bottles left chez Handford apparently.) Shaded deep garnet. Gamey, meaty nose with, obviously, a lot of heat. Rather loose-textured. I’m not sure I’m enjoying it as much as some of the much younger single-quinta ports. Very savoury, almost meat-extract, and rather drying finish. This bottle is not a pleasing as those tasted earlier, alas. Not sure whether it’s the wine or the bottle. (JR)
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More reviews and scores
The heatwave vintage. Shaded crimson with a raisin quality on the nose. Also peppery. Rich and soft of the palate already. (JR)
Sage and prunes on the nose – seriously interesting bouquet already. Massive splurge of fruit on the palate with very fine tannins – tannins so fine that you could actually enjoy this this year, provided you didn't have a cellarful of more mature vintage port. Very winning already. Lovely freshness on the finish. Very smart indeed. (JR)
Dark, vibrant crimson. Sweet very well-integrated ink. Full of joy. Not that full of tannins (problem?) but utterly gorgeous for current drinking. Perhaps it was helped by being served cooler than some other ports at this tasting? But everything seemed to be in its place and it was already open with masses lurking underneath. A sea serpent of a wine? Although perhaps dangerously precocious? You have to fight to find the tannins. No shortage of personality. (JR)