Is a mysterious phenomenon, a magical wine produced in extremely limited quantities and only in a few years. It is the expression of a terroir and confirms something that is a deeply held belief. The Nacional is great because of the grapes and where they come from. It has a unique personality, an extraordinary intensity and, even after many years of ageing, retains an astonishing youthfulness.
The 1963 Nacional's opaque purple color is remarkable, looking more like a 1992 than a 33-year old port. The wine possessed a fabulously smoky, cassis, black-cherry, peppery nose. After thirty minutes in the glass, fruitcake notes and more evolved aromas emerged. This port is so concentrated it defies belief, with extraordinary balance, and, like its two siblings, well-integrated alcohol and tannin. The impression is one of a silky, succulent, voluptuously-textured mouthful of exceptionally extracted port. This is a legend in the making. In 30-40 years it may well be considered, along with the 1931, as one of the greatest ports ever produced. Those lucky few with a bottle or two should plan to hold onto them for another decade before pulling the cork. It, too, is a hundred-year port. The Wine Advocate
Food-Pairing
A delicious digestive, but can also be accompanied by rich old cheeses, dark chocolate or chocolate mousse.
Grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Cão
Grapes are trodden by foot to obtain the must, then during fermentation macerate to obtain the best possible extraction in the lagares, the traditional stone vats from the Quinta. It is matured for 18 months in wooden casks in the air conditioned cellars of the Quinta, at the demarcated region of the Douro Valley before bottling.
The terroir is a small area at the heart of the Quinta do Noval vineyard planted with ungrafted vines and untouched by phylloxera, described as attached to the soil of the Nation. Vintage Nacional 1963 is produced using several grape varieties and not just from Touriga Nacional, as it name might suggest. These varieties are some of the noblest to be found in the Douro valley: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão and Sousão
Alcoholcontent
19,5%
Store & Serve
Serve at cellar temperature at 12 - 15ºC.
Decant before serving. Can be kept for up to 2 days after opening.
Critics & Awards
19,5/20 - Jancis Robinson
98/100 - Jean-Marc Quarin Tasted: Nov 2017
98/100 - Stephen Tanzer
99/100 - Robert Parker The Wine Advocate When to drink: 1996 to 2096