Quinta do Noval - Ruby Port
Quinta do Noval is a Port house established in 1715, and one of the few to be located in the heart of the Douro Valley , instead of Villa Nova de Gaia, in Portugal . It takes its name from its most famous vineyard, namely Quinta do Noval. The majority of the vineyards in the quinta are planted with the noble Douro grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Cao. The grapes are grown on a mixture of shale and clay soils, but the presence of rocks around the vines makes harvesting difficult for the winemakers. A large-scale replanting of the vineyards was undertaken in 1994, and each plot was planted with a variety that best suited the soil, altitude and exposure. At the heart of the Quinta do Noval vineyard lies a small plot of ungrafted vines that were lucky enough to avoid the devastation of phylloxera in the 19th century. Since 1993, the managing director has been Christian Seely , who is also in charge of many vineyards in Europe, within the AXA Millesimes group. This investment group also owns estates such as Château Pichon-Longueville, Château Pibran and Disznókő in Hungary.
This Noval Ruby is vinified by pumping over in stainless steel vats. It is the result of a blend of wines made from Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca with an average age of 3 years and aged in oak barrels .
Grape varieties: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca