Ripe port. Light red color, sweet nose. Dark cherry, chocolate, sweet spices. Medium length. Not too sweet in the finish. Potential for many more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At 25 years this port is still so fruity and young. Intense liquorice in the first sip blew off and revealed other sweet spices and deep red fruit flavours. Chalky and/or tannic support gives makes this wine very rounded and structured. If I had another bottle I would keep it cellared for at least another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From memory. Relatively light in color. Intense cherry and licorice nose, with also allspice and other baking spices. Elegant, relatively light mouth feel. Restrained sense of sweetness on the finish, which had plenty of tannic support. Excellent!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pristine bottle, perfect cork, level and label, second from a full case. Very similar in style to my note from December 2016, but this bottle seems to be ill at ease with itself. The fruit is lacking on the slightly stalky and maderised nose and the finish is a bit hot. The Noval 1995 is not a big wine by any means, but this bottle feels a bit hollow. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good, not great - my rating is a bit lower, but dead on agree with:
11/12/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Pristine bottle. Perfect cork, extracted without difficulty. Mature but lively appearance, starting to brown at the edges; gentle and mature but expressive nose of black cherries and cedar, quite dusty minerality, hint of cocoa, good depth; the palate is medium-bodied and silky, off-dry, vibrant and beautifully balanced, all elements are in place, the light tannins are ripe and the flavours of chocolate and mint are pure and intense; complete finish, very good length. Solid rather than spectacular but with a modicum of style, approachable now and not for the very long term. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good vintage port. Intense cherry flavors, chock and coffee in the finish. Tannins have completely resolved. Minimal hotness. Chalky. Probably will not improve much from this point on. Ready for business imo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pristine bottle, the first from a full case purchased in 2008. Perfect cork, extracted without difficulty. The 1995 Noval is unique in the sense that the Nacional was blended into the straight vintage, making up some 6% of the overall blend. Mature but lively appearance, starting to brown at the edges; gentle and mature but expressive nose of black cherries and cedar, quite dusty minerality, hint of cocoa, good depth; the palate is medium-bodied and silky, off-dry, vibrant and beautifully balanced, all elements are in place, the light tannins are ripe and the flavours of chocolate and mint are pure and intense; complete finish, very good length. Solid rather than spectacular but with a modicum of style, approachable now and not for the very long term. Drink now - 2025.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This will be one TN for the 1995 and the 1997. The 1995 is carmine red with a slightly brown rim. In the bouquet a lot of lavas and bouillon. On the palate coffee, mocha and chocolate dominate. The tannin is soft, there is a firm amount of bitterness, metal? and the wine is quite alcoholic. The 1997 is several steps better than the 1995. The bouquet of the 1997 is still reticent and there is that impression of metal again; also on the palate. Beside that on the palate there are good ripe fruits like blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and black cherries. Also some cedar. Round and creamy, with a very long finish. I scored the 1995; 88 and I am not sure if it will develop for the better. The 1997 has still a long future ahead and I scored it 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not greatly experienced with Port but my guests (4 or 5 drinking this) really loved it and, in fact, knocked off the whole bottle. Very smooth and well balanced. Not too sweet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/27/2022 - shafer1994 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe port. Light red color, sweet nose. Dark cherry, chocolate, sweet spices. Medium length. Not too sweet in the finish. Potential for many more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2020 - jhbehrens Likes this wine: 91 Points
At 25 years this port is still so fruity and young. Intense liquorice in the first sip blew off and revealed other sweet spices and deep red fruit flavours. Chalky and/or tannic support gives makes this wine very rounded and structured. If I had another bottle I would keep it cellared for at least another 10 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2019 - juffer Likes this wine: 94 Points
From memory. Relatively light in color. Intense cherry and licorice nose, with also allspice and other baking spices. Elegant, relatively light mouth feel. Restrained sense of sweetness on the finish, which had plenty of tannic support. Excellent!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote:
Pristine bottle, perfect cork, level and label, second from a full case. Very similar in style to my note from December 2016, but this bottle seems to be ill at ease with itself. The fruit is lacking on the slightly stalky and maderised nose and the finish is a bit hot. The Noval 1995 is not a big wine by any means, but this bottle feels a bit hollow. Not rated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2019 - ocfriday Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good, not great - my rating is a bit lower, but dead on agree with:
11/12/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Pristine bottle. Perfect cork, extracted without difficulty. Mature but lively appearance, starting to brown at the edges; gentle and mature but expressive nose of black cherries and cedar, quite dusty minerality, hint of cocoa, good depth; the palate is medium-bodied and silky, off-dry, vibrant and beautifully balanced, all elements are in place, the light tannins are ripe and the flavours of chocolate and mint are pure and intense; complete finish, very good length. Solid rather than spectacular but with a modicum of style, approachable now and not for the very long term. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2018 - danckie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good vintage port. Intense cherry flavors, chock and coffee in the finish. Tannins have completely resolved. Minimal hotness. Chalky. Probably will not improve much from this point on. Ready for business imo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Pristine bottle, the first from a full case purchased in 2008. Perfect cork, extracted without difficulty. The 1995 Noval is unique in the sense that the Nacional was blended into the straight vintage, making up some 6% of the overall blend. Mature but lively appearance, starting to brown at the edges; gentle and mature but expressive nose of black cherries and cedar, quite dusty minerality, hint of cocoa, good depth; the palate is medium-bodied and silky, off-dry, vibrant and beautifully balanced, all elements are in place, the light tannins are ripe and the flavours of chocolate and mint are pure and intense; complete finish, very good length. Solid rather than spectacular but with a modicum of style, approachable now and not for the very long term. Drink now - 2025.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2016 - chatters wrote: flawed
Wine Ark tasting June 2016 (wine ark alexandria): again another out of condition bottle...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2016 - chatters wrote: flawed
Wine Ark tasting June 2016 (wine ark alexandria): nope, damp cellar an exceedingly muted
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/27/2012 - Zweder wrote: 88 Points
This will be one TN for the 1995 and the 1997. The 1995 is carmine red with a slightly brown rim. In the bouquet a lot of lavas and bouillon. On the palate coffee, mocha and chocolate dominate. The tannin is soft, there is a firm amount of bitterness, metal? and the wine is quite alcoholic. The 1997 is several steps better than the 1995. The bouquet of the 1997 is still reticent and there is that impression of metal again; also on the palate. Beside that on the palate there are good ripe fruits like blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and black cherries. Also some cedar. Round and creamy, with a very long finish. I scored the 1995; 88 and I am not sure if it will develop for the better. The 1997 has still a long future ahead and I scored it 94.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2008 - dmhoro wrote:
I just had the 1997 Gould Campbell Porto Bicentenary and it was better than this port I had two nights ago...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2006 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
Not greatly experienced with Port but my guests (4 or 5 drinking this) really loved it and, in fact, knocked off the whole bottle. Very smooth and well balanced. Not too sweet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/29/2005 - mouton45 wrote: 91 Points
Opened after coming home from dinner at Bistro Bisou. Paul liked this one slightly better than the 1994 Duff Gordon, which he had tasted first
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment