2020 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port Douro Valley Portugal 750 ml

In Wine Spectator’s assessment of the fantastic 2020 vintage ports, two wines stand above the rest, and they're both from the same producer: Quinta do Noval. The first is the 99-point, $1,200+ Nacional, an icon that always stands as a benchmark.

Just behind Nacional—and ahead of every port from the vintage—is the 97-point 2020 Quinta do Noval, which goes for about a TENTH the cost of its priceless brother.

The critical praise for this bottle goes far beyond Spectator: Decanter and Vinous both awarded it 97 points, and the latter summed it up as “exquisite.” That's a rare consensus, confirming this bottle as a classic.

At age 307, Quinta do Noval is one of the oldest port houses, and arguably the greatest. Unlike most in the region, all of Noval’s wines are made entirely from estate-grown grapes, farmed from vineyards near the sleepy town of Pinhão since 1715.

Quinta do Noval is a jewel,” cooed Decanter recently. Vines grow on steep slopes that rise up to 1,600 feet above the Douro River, held in place by hand-built stone walls that trace the contours of the hill. The range of exposures and elevations make for a seriously intricate wine. 

The 2020 harvest will be remembered as the smallest in the history of the region, thanks to dry conditions that led to parsimonious yields, small berries, and sparse clusters. Quality, however, was sky-high, and one major house after another declared it a vintage year. The resulting ports are powerfully broad and lush, and incredibly impressive after just one sip—and Quinta do Noval’s is nearly immortal, perfect for commemorating birth years or wedding anniversaries for years to come.