Quinta do Noval
Cedro do Noval Branco 2018
Douro Valley, Portugal
Named after the emblematic cedar tree that dominates Quinta do Noval’s terrace, Cedro do Noval is an authentic expression of the Douro. It is made at Quinta do Noval using carefully selected grapes 100 % grown on the highest steeply terraced vineyards of Quinta do Noval, in the heart of the Douro Valley, in Northern Portugal.
Vineyard
Noval’s dry table wines are from specially selected parcels of new and mature vines around the spectacular estate, and blended from four classic port varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tintao Cão, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. True to its long history of continuous innovation, Noval has also been among the first to experiment with Rhone varieties in the Douro, with Syrah from estate plantings being blended into the Cedro do Noval.
Winemaking
Cedro do Noval is a blended wine using noble white grape varieties of the Douro Valley; the 2018 Vintage is compromised of 60% Viosinho and 40% Gouveio. The fermentation is done at 100% in French oak barrels, with 20 % of new barrels, for a period of 21 days. The wine does not undergo any malolactic fermentation, but is aged in French oak barrels, with 20% of new barrels, for about 6 months. Bâtonnage occured once a week for 3 months.
Tasting Note
“Cedro do Noval Branco 2018 presents a clear light golden color. The aroma is intense, fresh, slightly mineral with layers of fruit and floral notes. On the palate it is full and reveals all its freshness through a balanced acidity and a long aftertaste.” – Carlos Agrellos, Technical Director
Vintage
After a dry winter, 2018 was marked by very cold temperatures and high rainfall until midsummer, and a hot, dry end of summer. Budbreak started late in good conditions. Following a long, summery period, high temperatures and water stress were optimum for the anthocyanic richness of the skins and ideal ripening of the grapes. Grape soundness was excellent at harvest time.
The harvest for white wines took place from 5 to 20 September in good weather conditions, with high temperatures and no rain. It produced high quality wines with good levels of sugar, acidity and phenolic compounds. All the wines produced that year are essentially very good, even excellent. The whites are
fresh and fragrant.
Color
White
Appellation
Douro Valley, Portugal
Alcohol
13%
Suggested Retail Price
$25
Reviews
"Both intensity and freshness
Wine Advocate - May 7, 2020
"The 2018 Cedro do Noval Branco is an equal blend of Viosinho and Gouveio partly (80%) aged for six months in French oak. It comes in at 13% alcohol. The wood is a little evident, but this won't show in the marketplace until next year, at which point, the wood should be better integrated—if not eviscerated by the acidity. This is a more aggressive and intense wine—a more serious one—than last year's, which was the debut vintage. This is a nice leap forward. It's not dense, but it has fine concentration for the level. More impressively, there's both intensity and freshness. We'll see what it looks like when it is released, but this has suddenly become fairly serious."
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Douro Reserva
Douro Valley, Portugal
Very powerful and structured, it is outstanding for its finesse, a delicate character typical of the Quinta do Noval style. It is derived from a strict selection of the best batches of the Quinta's various indigenous grape varieties. This wine is delicious when young and ages well in the cellar.
Fine White Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
A white port made with traditional white grape varietals from the Douro Valley. It is a blend of wines aged between 2 and 3 years to create a wine that is fruity, fine, sweet, unctuous, with a good aromatic persistence.
Branco Reserva
Douro Valley, Portugal
An authentic white wine with the ambitious to represent the best white wine produced in the Douro Valley. It is derived from a strict selection of the best batches of the Quinta's various indigenous grape varieties. Rich and structured, it is outstanding for its finesse and intensity
Vinhas da Marka
Douro Valley
Vinhas da Marka is the very first edition of a new exciting project called ‘Terroir Series’. Every edition will focus on one specific terroir that was identified that year as exceptional. A few years ago, Quinta do Noval concluded an agreement with the Agrellos family for the long term lease of the vineyard of Quinta da Marka, which we had identified as having terroir of exceptional potential. This potential was revealed by the outstanding red wines produced in the 2019 vintage. It was so remarkable, that the Noval team has decided to release a very limited volume of that wine. Only 200 bottles was brought into the US.
Fine Ruby Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
This is a deep-colored lively, peppery wine full of fresh fruit flavors it is bottled after three years in cask. An ideal Port for informal drinking.
Late Bottled Vintage Single Vineyard Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
This wine is a remarkable example of the Noval style. Treated exactly like a Vintage Port with only noble grape varieties that sourced exclusively from estate vineyards, trodden by foot and unfiltered. This expression differs in its extended aging, seeing five years in casks instead of the typical two years for Vintage Ports. Definitely an LBV with a difference, this wine has fine structured tannins, great freshness and purity of fruit. It is delicious to drink today, but will age beautifully in its bottle.
Tawny 40 Year Old Port
Douro Valley, Portugal
Noval was the first port house to introduce blended tawnies with an indication of average age. Their eldest offering, the Noval Tawny 40 Year Old Port, is a remarkable representation of the quintessence of the Noval Tawny style: a profoundly concentrated and complex old wine, the memory of the house.
Touriga Nacional
Douro DOC
Intense and concentrated, with fine tannic structure, Touriga Nacional is distinguished by its delicacy, a characteristic of the Quinta do Noval style. It is the product of a strict selection from the best lots produced by our Quinta in any given year.
Colheita
Douro Valley
Colheita is a Vintage Tawny Port. Wheras Tawnies with an indication of age show the house style, Vintage Tawnies show the personality of the vintage year. Colheita spends its entire life in barrel until the moment of bottling. On the nose they are fresh, powerful and fruit-forward, with balanced acidity. On the palate they have a nutty, oxidized character with a seductively smooth finish.
