1967 Quinta do Noval Nacional

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
Forum rules
Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
Post Reply
User avatar
Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

1967 Noval Nacional vintage port

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Roy Hersh generously shared this bottle with us from his cellar. This had been decanted for 5 hours (and needed another 5!) before taking this tasting note. Deep red, a one inch pour is almost opaque with only a hint of pink or orange on the rim. Thick and unctuous on the nose with oodles of black damson and prunes. The texture is thick and gets thicker the longer the port stays in the glass and is still hugely tannic, though not to the detriment of the wine. Dried figs and plums jostle for attention on the tongue with a fierce acidity all the while the port gets thicker and thicker. The aftertaste takes a long time to make itself obvious and is never really monumental or huge, but is just so long! This is a stunning port and is so far away from being at its peak needing well over another decade before being showing any signs of losing its puppy fat. I would suggest that this really needs a couple of decades before opening - or 24+ hours in a decanter. Fabulous port - 7/8/10 (as in 7 out of 10 for drinking today; 8 out of 10 for drinking in 10 years and 10 out of 10 for drinking in 20 years). 94/100 and will achieve perhaps 98 or 99 eventually. Drunk 10/2/08.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
Roy Hersh
Niepoort LBV
Posts: 283
Joined: 21:55 Mon 31 Dec 2007

Post by Roy Hersh »

Roy Hersh felt like a cork dork when he realized upon returning to his hotel room on Sunday at 3:15 a.m. that he had forgotten to grab an empty decanter so he could then open the '67 for the afternoon session and provide a less than satisfactory 10 hours of air time.

Given my egregious error in judgement (14 hours of drinking Port and Madeira on Sat. is a damn lame excuse!) I felt quite daft 88) when leaving my room with bottle in hand knowing I'd not get to see Alex's 9/10 or 98 points that would have been a no-brainer had my faux pas not come into play. Five hours was absolutely as appropriate as showing up for the duel at high noon, with a sling shot.

Nonetheless, the opportunity to share this with an esteemed group of friends was very much worth the while!
User avatar
Axel P
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2027
Joined: 08:09 Wed 12 Sep 2007
Location: Langenfeld, near Cologne, Germany
Contact:

Post by Axel P »

Christian Seely had us served the 67 Noval VP when having lunch on his quinta. In my oppinion a year that is (totally) overlooked concerning the Novals.

Thanks for the input on the Nacional.

Axel
worldofport.com
o-port-unidade.com
User avatar
jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
Posts: 23613
Joined: 15:03 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: London
Contact:

Nacional 1967

Post by jdaw1 »

Nacional 1967: dark dark red, with pink at the edge. Very closed to nose: I wrote ‟quiet dark berries”, which still feels right. Some hours later ‟very thick-smelling”, of ‟prunes and grapes”. Huge, but needing decades and hours.

The prunes reminded me of my one tasting of Vesuvio 1994.
Roy Hersh
Niepoort LBV
Posts: 283
Joined: 21:55 Mon 31 Dec 2007

Post by Roy Hersh »

Julian,

That is a great analogy, as there are definitely similarities in the unctuous nature, if not sheer viscosity of both and the unbridaled palate pleasure that both the Vesuvio and Nacional '67 deliver.

I like this style of big and brash and jammy, every bit as much as I do the lighter and more elegant VPs. Albeit night and day different, there is no reason one can not love them both, akin to the equal enjoyment I receive from both Colheita vs. Vintage.

Another way to look at this for the casual observer is to compare the 1967 Nacional and 1994 Veusvio to the 1983 Chateau d'Yquem stylistically, vs. the ethereal but much lighter beauty that is the 1988 Yquem. Sorry for the non-Port reference but think that analogy will be most apt for those that also love great Yquem.
User avatar
jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
Posts: 23613
Joined: 15:03 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: London
Contact:

insufficient experience of d’Yquem

Post by jdaw1 »

It is with great regret that I tell you that I have insufficient experience of d’Yquem to know whether you are correct.
User avatar
g-man
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3429
Joined: 13:50 Wed 24 Oct 2007
Location: NYC
Contact:

Post by g-man »

Roy Hersh wrote:Julian,


I like this style of big and brash and jammy, every bit as much as I do the lighter and more elegant VPs. Albeit night and day different, there is no reason one can not love them both, akin to the equal enjoyment I receive from both Colheita vs. Vintage.

Another way to look at this for the casual observer is to compare the 1967 Nacional and 1994 Veusvio to the 1983 Chateau d'Yquem stylistically, vs. the ethereal but much lighter beauty that is the 1988 Yquem. Sorry for the non-Port reference but think that analogy will be most apt for those that also love great Yquem.
I have to say that while I've never had a Noval Nacional, the taste descriptors from our fellow members makes it look to be something to try.

I want to add that I personally love the fonseca because it's loaded with fruit and can be very big but is just so elegant and smooth compared to similar taylor's which are big and brawny (what feels like more tannins?)
Post Reply