This wine shows brown spices, nuts and citrus peel nuances. It’s complex with fresh acidity and an extraordinary long finish that is both smoky and refreshing.

Sercial produces the driest and most bracing Madeira style, and is best served as an aperitif, with tapas style dishes or seafood. It also works very well with Sashimi, consommés or soups.

Traditionally, these wines are consumed with richer, chocolate-influenced desserts or enjoyed on their own after a meal.

As for the 15YO, this is a striking, off-dry wine that can be served as an aperitif, with tapas type dishes or seafood. Also excellent with consommés or soups. Verdelho has a medium body and racy acidity.

This is the youngest of the Noval Tawnies with an age indication, and made from 50% Estate fruit with the balance from A-grade producers in the heart of the Douro Valley. Alongside Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca and Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional and Sousão now enter the story. The grapes are foot-trodden and fermented in the traditional lagares of the Quinta. After fortification, the wine is moved to old oak barrels of 640 litres for ageing.

Again the note below reflects our own experiences of the wine. This could go with the dishes outlined in the Bual note above but could also take on richer desserts like plum pudding. Or it is great simply on its own at the end of a meal to lift the spirits and refresh the palate

Christmas cake dark colour, with tinges of olive green at the rim. Thick and viscous in the glass. The aromas combine the impression of great age with tremendous vitality. Deep and brooding, reminiscent of curious characters such as cold tea, leather, tobacco and malt, coupled with pretty honeysuckle and barley sugar notes. Then the flavours, simultaneously almost impossibly sweet, tart and intense. It has rich malt, polished leather, bursts of raisined fruit, vibrant spice and earthy warmth. The initial sweetness gives way to mouth watering acidity and tactile graininess followed by a constantly developing finish that lasts for minutes. Almost overwhelming at first, even the tiniest sip is immensely satisfying and yet decadently moreish.