Quinta do Noval
Syrah
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
"I am always ready to try grape varieties from other parts of the world. I simply feel it essential that they adjust well to their new environment and integrate as if they were Douro grapes. As it happens, Syrah adapts perfectly. It expresses a personality here that is strongly marked by the Douro Valley rather than that of varietal Syrah."
Christian SeelyCharacteristics of the vintage
2022 will stand out as a remarkably dry year with unprecedented weather conditions in our region. Nonetheless, this growing season also showed the remarkable resilience of the Douro's vineyards and grape varieties.
The rainfall recorded at Quinta do Noval during the viticultural year was 364mm, 276mm below the 1970/2000 average. The weather conditions were favourable during flowering in May and during fruit set. With a high number of bunches, a good harvest was expected.
From the 7th to the 15th of July a heatwave brought daily temperatures above 40°C, even reaching 45,5°C at Quinta do Noval - and it was on July 15th that Pinhão recorded Portugal's highest ever temperature at 47°C. From July 30th to August 10th, we experienced another heatwave with temperatures above 40°C.
The high temperatures, combined with low relative humidity, contributed greatly to the optimum health of the grapes. We experienced very little vine related diseases and most plots were surprisingly green and free from water stress. The low disease pressure was clearly verified by the small amount of eliminated bunches at grape sorting in our wineries during harvest, and it also translated into more wine produced.Harvest
On August 25th we were already harvesting red grapes for Port and red dry wines. The dry conditions throughout the season along with low water reserves restricted the vine's growth which in turn produced smaller bunches with small berries. The wines have excellent colour with perfectly ripe fruit on the nose. Rain between the 12th and 14th of September (28.4mm) caused a sharp drop in temperatures and improved the final ripening of the grapes. We decided to pause the harvest, giving the grapes a few days to dry, improve phenolic ripening and gain more sugars. Our very best Ports and dry reds were produced during the final week after the mid-September rains.
The harvest lasted 37 days and finished on September 27th. The total grape production at Quinta do Noval was 705 pipes, down 5% from 2021.Vinification
The fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats for a period of 7 days, where it then undergoes malolactic fermentation.
Blend
This wine is entirely made with Syrah, from the Quinta do Noval vineyard in the heart of the Douro valley.
Maturing
The wine is aged in French oak barrels of 225 litres for 10 months, with 50% from barrels of one vintage, 25% in new barrels, and 25% from barrels of two vintages.
Tasting notes
This wine reveals a bright colour with violet hue. The nose is very aromatic and pure, with aromas of fruits, orange blossom, rockrose and balsamic. It offers flavours of wild berries, some blackberry, spices followed by very good woody notes. On the palate, it presents a remarkable acidity that balances the entire wine. Ready to drink now, it will improve in bottle over the next five years.
Carlos Agrellos - Technical Director - July 2024
Bottling date: June 16th 2024Serving temperature
16ºC-18ºC
Wine Analyse
Alcohol content:
14.5% vol.
Residual sugar:
0.6g/l
Total acidity:
6g/l
pH:
3.56
