Quinta do Noval Silval Vintage Port

Black in color, with intense aromas of grilled meat, raisins and prunes. Full-bodied, lightly sweet and tannic. Chewy, with loads of black licorice on the finish. Best after 2012.

Floral scents of rose and esteva give this wine an immediate appeal. It would be approachable now but for its size and scale, the huge, plummy fruit and black satin texture more forgiving than the tannins. It’s the salty minerality of those tannins that keeps the wine on track, lengthening the flavors into the distance so that they last a minute after each taste. The blend includes grapes from new plantings at Noval, as well as selections from growers. Silval ’03 is close to the Noval in quality, and will likely be drinking best from 2020–30.

Saturated deep ruby. Youthful but expressive aromas of blackberry, blueberry, minerals, violet and nutty oak. Dense, concentrated, fruity and seamless, if still a bit youthfully aggressive. But this is creamy, ripe and broad, with compelling sweetness and ripe tannins. Silval, which is intended to be more accessible early on than Noval, is a blend of wines from the Noval estate and from Noval’s best suppliers.

The second label of Quinta do Noval is a more open Port than its big brother. Its stalky character, dark fruits and considerable acidity come together well, leaving a dry but fresh aftertaste.