2017 Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional 750 ml

We’ve tasted a ton of wines in our careers, and this one was an eye-opener. The rich and savory 2017 Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional is an under-the-radar Portuguese stunner that delivers the quality, complexity, and age-worthiness we associate with the Old World greats of Bordeaux, Rioja, Piedmont, and Tuscany—for about a quarter of the price. We don't expect its bargain, under-the-radar status to last long: This bottle just landed on Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top 100 list for 2020. 

We wish we could personally pour this red for every collector we know. Short of that, we recommend stockpiling it now, before this bottle becomes as hard-to-find as its peers on that esteemed list.

Deep, dense, and structured like a Bordeaux and savory and brooding like top-flight Brunello, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate said “this Touriga is a perfect food wine,” and it blindsided us in the best way on our last trip to Portugal. It made us think of our personal cellars at home, which have long been loaded with wines from the most famous regions in Europe, but seriously lacking in dry Portuguese reds.

The Quinta do Noval changed all that. We promptly claimed cases to watch its evolution alongside ouur Brunellos, Barolos, and Cru Classé Bordeaux, and are thrilled to give you a chance to do the same. At its $50 list price, this exhilarating red already has most of its competition beat. But at our price… trust us when we say you’ll be as stunned by the value as we were—and we're willing to bet you become a lifelong fan.

The things that make some of the greatest wine regions in the world—poor soils, steep and well-drained slopes, arid conditions—bless the Douro Valley, where grapes have grown since the early 18th century. In fact, the Douro was one of the first demarcated and regulated wine regions (since 1756). Quinta do Noval is one of the venerable houses of the region, having farmed near the sleepy town of Pinhão since the early 1700s. Their vines grow on extremely steep slopes held in place by hand-built stone walls that trace the contours of the hills, and unlike most of the estates in the region, all of their wines are made from estate-grown grapes. 

The Touriga Nacional is the marquee noble grape of the region, growing on low-yielding vines and producing inky, structured, full-bodied wines. They’re vinified much like Bordeaux, which is what we think of when we compare this wine to a higher-profile region. Overall, it’s a super-aromatic and dark-fruited red, with violets, wild sage, dried chervil, pink peppercorn, rosehips, and clove bursting from the glass. After 10 months in 35% new French oak, it’s got polished and super-fine tannins, a kiss of cedar plank to the finish, and lingering notes of black cherry, bilberry, wild herbs, and anise that last until the next sip. 

Three centuries into the winery’s history, Quinta do Noval provided me with a brand-new favorite. We can’t wait for you to fall in love with this wine like we did.