Fazenda Noval Petit Verdot 2021

Petit Verdot is a superior variety with a strong individual personality and enormous quality potential. It is best known for its presence in small proportions in the blends of great Médoc wines. It needs sun and heat to fully ripen, and has adapted extremely well to the Douro, producing a single-varietal wine of exuberant character and individuality.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HARVEST
2019 was marked by a mild winter and generally dry conditions, with almost no rain from May until the end of August. While in many parts of Europe producers faced heat waves, and despite sunny conditions, summer temperatures in the Douro were, thankfully, lower than usual this year, making the lack of rain easier for the vines to bear. Furthermore, the low humidity led to low disease pressure in the vineyards and resulted in beautiful, healthy grapes.
The colheita began on September 9th for the red grape varieties. Harvest conditions were ideal, with moderate temperatures and generally dry weather. A small amount of rain on September 21st/22nd and later between October 14th and 17th provided some relief.
The yields were slightly higher than our 10-year average, and the musts exhibited great acidity and natural freshness.
We finished the harvest on October 18th after 6 weeks. This was a long colheita , but this is not unusual in the Douro, where the diversity of grape varieties, orientation and altitudes results in different harvest dates for each specific plot. This diversity represents a challenge for the technical team, but also an incredible richness, giving complexity and character to our Quinta do Noval wines.

TEST NOTE
Highly concentrated and dense, this wine has a dark crimson color. The aroma is very intense with blackberry, currant, and spices. Some peppery and cedar notes also appear, stemming from aging in oak barrels. On the palate, it remains rich, full of fruit and extract. A beautiful and fresh wine, focused, fruity, with very good structure and acidity.

Winemaking: This wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks for 7 days at a controlled temperature of 25°C. Malolactic fermentation takes place immediately afterwards over a period of two weeks.