The 2011 Vintage Port hasn't been seen in a while. It begins our mini-vertical this issue. Showing rich and gorgeous fruit, this is pure, young and elegant. There is still plenty of power here, but decanting a small portion for about three hours gave me some hope that it would be approachable a bit sooner than anticipated. Noval has mid-palate finesse all the time—so, too, here. It makes this very graceful, despite the power and the first lush impression. The pure power does not detract from the feeling of elegance at all, as this comes together well. Dried herbs, eucalyptus and a long finish make this special, the complexity on the finish sealing the deal. This is early in this wine's evolution, but it is beginning to open its eyes and peek out at the world. - Mark Squires

Vibrant, with luscious yet elegant mineral-infused flavors of dark currant, ripe cherry, green fig and raspberry. Shows ample pepper notes, with the tannins offering plenty of muscle and grip on the long, silky finish. Complex and restrained. Best from 2022 through 2047. – KM

The 2011 Vintage Port is very complete on the nose, focused and full of energy, with touches of grilled walnut and sage filtering through the black fruit, quite earthy in style (more than I remember.) The palate is very classy and complex with black fruit, sage, black pepper and an endearing, slightly powdery texture towards the finish. This has shed some of its puppy fat - a bit more serious now and worth cellaring for another three to four years. Tasted at the Quinta do Noval tasting at Spring restaurant in London. -- Neal Martin

A powerful, concentrated wine, full of dark tannins, ripe fruit and rich texture. This is a wine based on a solid structure—very firm in character while still allowing the gorgeous fruits to express themselves. It’s obviously destined for long-term aging.