The Douro valley is known for its untamed landscapes and its most famous export: port. The vines hug the craggy slopes of the Douro's winding valleys and rivers. Quinta do Noval is located in the heart of Douro Valley in northern Portugal in the region of Cima Corgo. The Estate was founded in 1715 and has displayed remarkable inventiveness throughout its existence. The first labelled bottles were introduced by Noval in the 1920s. Noval pioneered the concept of labelling old Tawny wines with an indication of their age (10, 20 and 40 years old) and was the first winery to introduce a `mise tardive' vintage, the 1954 Quinta do Noval LBV. In 1981, a catastrophic fire destroyed Noval's cellar, eradicating stock that included 350,000 litres, 20,000 bottles of 1978 and over two centuries' worth of archives. The estate stretches across 70 hectares at an altitude that varies from 100 metres at the river to 350 metres at the highest point of the valley. For over a century, the estate belonged to the family of Rebella Valenta who had received it from the Marquis do Pombal, Portugal's powerful prime minister. Noval was bought in 1993 by AXA Millésimes. After 10 years of investment and hard work, Quinta do Naval is now largely held to be one of the leading names in port wine.

This is the wine that earned the Quinta do Noval its place in history. And it is a story in which chance plays a big part: the unsold port wines were being left in their barrels for longer. And this cask ageing had made the wines surprisingly accessible while young. Nowadays, this wine is produced in the best years, using late-harvested grapes. It enjoys an extended élevage of 4-6 years. Unlike vintage ports, LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) ports can be enjoyed straight away. Quinta do Noval's LBV is superb, with aromas of red fruits and spices that make it perfect with a red berry dessert, or simply on its own. It has been matured in a "reductive" atmosphere (without the influence of air, like a red wine). So it needs to be stored upright in the cellar, and drunk quickly after opening.