Details Category: Fortified Wines Fortified Wines Published: 27 April 2020 27 April 2020

Quinate do Noval and Ramos Pinto port houses today declared their 2018 vintage ports. Representatives from both house released commentary to the press:

Christian Seely, Managing Director of Quinta do Noval, comments:

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“ It will perhaps come as no surprise that we are declaring the Quinta do Noval 2018 Vintage Port.

Like 2017, 2018 was a year of low yields, but for different reasons. 2017 was a year of extreme drought, while 2018 was marked in the first part of the year by heavy rainfall. This meant that potential yields were naturally much reduced by the difficulties of the flowering period. Subsequently, however, a long hot dry summer ensued. Water levels in the soil had been replenished, and the result of this excellent ripening period on a low yield is evident in the 2018 Vintage Port, which is magnificently ripe, profound and expressive.

As always, the Quinta do Noval Vintage Port is made exclusively from grapes from our Quinta in the heart of the Douro Valley, and the quantity bottled (1600 cases) of the 2018 Vintage Port represents just 7% of the Quinta’s production, as usual a very strict selection of the very best lots to make the Quinta do Noval blend. Both Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa flourished in 2018, in particular the Francesa which benefited from the ideal ripening conditions, and this Vintage Port blend is dominated by these two varietals.

The wine is wonderfully ripe, full and exuberant, spicy on the nose, with very fine long tannins and a classic Noval purity and elegance.”

Quinta do Bom Retiro 2018 Vintage Port

Quinta do Bom Retiro is only produced in exceptional years from the best plots on the estate. With a total of 110 hectares, 64 planted to vines with an average age of 40 years.

Ramos Pinto has always been a pioneer in the Douro, Bom Retiro was the Quinta first to use new planting methods suited to the terroir of the Douro. Vineyards are established on pre-phylloxera stone terraces, patamares and for the first time in the Douro, also on mechanizable vertical plantings.

Winter was particularly cold in 2018, with low levels of precipitation. Spring showers and cool temperatures gave way to a very hot and dry August and September which meant grapes were fully ripe and mature come harvest.

Speaking on behalf of Ramos Pinto, Jorge Rosas CEO, commented that the 2018 vintage was "the definition of elegance. It is the perfect fingerprint of the exceptional and unique vineyards at Quinta do Bom Retiro".

Last week the Fladgate Partnership also declared their 2018 vintages.

Christian Seely speaking at the preview tasting in London of the 2017 vintage:

Related content:

Interview: Quinta do Noval's Christian Seely on producing dry wine in the Douro

Refocussing 2020: wine tasting trips in perspective

2017 Vintage Port Review with Adrian Bridge, Christian Seely & Charles Symington