Nacional 1991 - no notes, fellas?!

[Chris Doty]

Anyone interested in sharing experiences with this wine?

Couldn't find any TNs on the forum, and CT is slim pickings.

I've yet to be wowed by NN, some are great, but none I've had are worth a half case of Dow 70.

This one is for sale for a 'mere' 400, and wanted to see if that is remotely justified by its quality.

TIA
Chris

[LGTrotter]

I've stared at it in a shop once, but I don't suppose this helps much.

[Glenn E.]

This one is for sale for a 'mere' 400, and wanted to see if that is remotely justified by its quality.

It's a Nacional; no.

One can make a very strong argument that no Nacional's quality, not even a much-lauded '31, '63, or '94, justifies its price. You pay the price for Nacional for the exclusivity and other irrational reasons, not because math tells you it is worth it. Because math will tell you that it isn't worth it.

[DRT]

I don't think I have ever tasted the 1991 but would not have high hopes for it. It was the last VP made before the previous ownership of Noval fell apart at the seams. The horrific yuck that was produced in the 1980s stands testament to how bad those times were - I can't imagine that they managed to turn things around in the final death throws.

If you are intent on spending NN-style cash I would start at 1994 or go backwards from 1970.

[RonnieRoots]

I haven't tasted the Nacional but I did taste all the other 1991 Noval bottlings, including the Quinta Roriz. Without an exception, they've all been incredibly weak, and this was 6-10 years ago. If I wanted to spend $400 on port, I'd spend it on something else.

[Andy Velebil]

Never had it, but I ain't going to spend lots of money on what is most likely a week VP to find out.

[uncle tom]

In some vintages, the Nacional is the best port to be found, but I can't think of one where it leads the rest of the field by a huge margin.

Moreover, in some vintages, it is seriously out-classed.

The regular Noval '91 was not very well made, and there seems to be some bottle variation. My encounters have ranged from the tolerable to the horrid.

Would I shell out serious money for an NN91?

- No.