1963 Quinta do Noval

[Alex Bridgeman]

A bottle ullaged down by a third and which clearly had been leaking, bottled by Harrods and with the shipper written onto the Harrods label. Butterscotch in colour, 20% opaque. Unattractive plastic on the nose, heavily oxidised. Lightweight entry, soft grapefruit and grapefruit peel acidity dominates the palate, with just enough brown sugar to make it palatable. Searing acidity on the aftertaste, before a powerful bitter grapefruit finish of tremendous length. Oddly pleasant. 82/100. Decanted 2 hours.