1978 Quinta do Noval

[Alex Bridgeman]

The only bottle with a less than acceptable fill from a case of 12, this bottle having a mid-shoulder fill. The cork was removed intact and was horizontally branded, but with branding so faint as to be almost illegible. Fair amount of sediment in the bottle and filtering through a coffee filter still yielded a slightly hazy wine. A mid-red rose colour, looking mature and with the haze making the port less transparent than would be expected. Mature on the nose, with leather and juniper berries dominating, restrained but very pleasant. Slightly on the sweet side on entry, but well balanced and with an enjoyable texture. Fairly simple flavours, but the flavours present themselves in an harmonious context and are very enjoyable. Slightly hot and dry on the aftertaste, but the finish shows the characteristic balance of the wine and is very pleasant and surprisingly long. A wine which is gentle harmony in a glass. 87/100. Drunk 27 November 2009 after 24 hours' decanting.