For The Love Of Port

Very bright, light red. Chocolate, dried figs and some spirit on the nose. Caramel, tobacco and mint. Taste is soft and velvet.
Drink now till 2025

91 points

Had the Noval vintage port 1985 june 2009.
The colour shows that this port is mature - but the core is never the less dark red (blue?) plum. Nose: Marzipan, almonds - a bit volatile - just slightly - actually fits in quite well! My first impression is, that this port is mature for sure - will not improve further. From now on it's down the hill. Mostly cherry and chocolate (and a bit liqourice) in the mouth. This port is not very complex - a "pleaser" - not "teaser"! Fore sure a nice mature port but one would exspect more from this vintage - and more over - from Noval.
On a 20-point-scale - 15p.

I have not had this recently. I had bought a six pack within 2 years after release for around $20. It was not a pretty baby when young. I did not have them again until 1996 and by 1999 they were all gone. The ones I consumed in the '90s had decent color but clear signs of pre-maturation with bricking at just over a decade. These were sound bottles in all other ways, no heat damage or storage issues. I just always have felt that they were "vin ordinairre" and my typical score and my own personal joke about that Port "85 for the 85" ... yeah pretty dumb on my part. But I've never been a fan nor seen other's bottles show all that well either. Have they suddenly made a turn around?

Roy - I totally agree with you - nothing extraordinary about this port. Maybe I should have rated the port 14p - 85 on a 100-scale seems fair.

Henrik,

From 1967 to 1994 ... can you name a single bottle of Vintage Port in between these years, made by Noval (not including Nacional) that was really above average?

That stretch of mediocrity has to be considered the "dark ages" for Quinta do Noval.

No offense meant to Mr. Van Zeller and family!

But as a wise man once said: "I have to calls 'em like I seize 'em."

Nope - but then again - didn't taste that many. The 1970 was actually crap! Well - would drink it on a rainy day - but would rather have a nice LBV!

Yes those years were quite dark for Noval. But what should be noted was all the work Cristiano van Zeller put into getting things back on par just before it ended up being sold to AXA (who a year later produced the 1994 VP's). Quite the shame it had to be sold before that legendary vintage.

I've never been impressed by the 1985. It's always been a very hot VP with, as was mentioned, signs of premature aging.

'85 Noval is just average. Had it a few times but did not leave enough of an impression good or bad. Mid pack for the vintage.

I bought a half case of the 85 Q. de Noval on release and I have opened 3 or 4 bottles thus far. My experience is like others here - this Port is the high end of mediocre or perhaps a bit better than that. Since I just rated the 1977 Sandeman 84 points, and I think the '85 Q. de Noval is materially better than that, I suppose I would give it 87 points, but both of those grades probably include 2 points for charity since I like port. I found no negtive characteristics, but it was just thin and lacked the stuffing of a high end VP with light fruit, no roasted nuts, and very limited in the complexity department.