1997 Quinta do Noval

Dark crimson with a red rim. Complex, lifted nose. Very rich and round and smothers the palate in intense herby fruit. Some tea leaves and great vigour. Extremely good. With a long future and great balance. Long and beautifully clean on the finish. Very firm tannins. (JR)

Christian Seely's first true expression of the estate. 1,200 cases. Hardly had any left because the commercial director sold so much that they now have only 15 bottles left. When they got the 100 points from Parker for both this and Nacional, Seely and António Agrellos went to out to celebrate at Taylor’s restaurant, 'And they were all there so it was highly satisfactory.' My sample is not star bright but it is extremely concentrated dark blackish ruby. Smells really quite claret-like! Lifted tea leaves. Very concentrated and entrancing. Wonderfully clean on the finish. A real palate scrub and then immensely long. Very grownup wine indeed. This has developed really beautifully. It recalls 2011 – or perhaps I mean the other way round. (JR)

Aromatic. Perfumed and gentle on the nose. Wonderfully smooth but with huge power underneath. (According to Christian Seely, this would been even better if we had tasted it from a 75cl bottle and not from a half bottle.) Very much more like wine than port – which is exactly what they are aiming for. (JH)