Quinta do Noval Nacional Port 1999

Quinta do Noval Nacional Port 1999 94/100 points in James Suckling

All our Nacional bottles were purchased directly from Quinta do Noval as first-hand stock, with known provenance and storage history. No secondary-market bottles, just the reassurance that these rare Vintages have been properly kept and are in excellent condition. Quinta do Noval Nacional is produced from a tiny parcel of ungrafted vines at the heart of the Quinta do Noval estate. These vines survived phylloxera on their own roots, without American rootstock, giving Nacional its distinctive origin and identity. The Nacional vineyard follows its own rhythm and is not necessarily produced in the same years as Quinta do Noval Vintage Port. The 1999 vintage is a particularly fascinating example of this. While 1999 was a difficult year in the Douro and most major Port houses did not declare a classic Vintage Port, Quinta do Noval produced Nacional from its exceptional ungrafted vineyard, demonstrating the unique character and autonomy of this historic parcel. The 1999 Nacional combines concentrated dark fruit with blackberry, blueberry, violet and mineral notes, supported by fine, persistent tannins and a long finish. More than 25 years after the vintage, it remains a rare and highly collectible Nacional, particularly interesting for collectors because it represents a vintage in which the legendary Nacional was produced despite the absence of a general declaration.