Poured straight from the bottle, this 20% alcohol fortified wine shows an opaque purple optic with a pale cherry rim. A sniff or two fills my nostrils with ripe dark fruits like blackberries and plums, along with a hint of aniseed, peat and alcohol. A rich mouth filling body of the same ripe dark fruits that roll around my taste buds providing velvet pleasure in a controlled fashion. The long and palate warming finish goes on for ages, maybe 30 seconds or more. This is probably the best LBV I have ever drunk and is no fluke. I have recently enjoyed the 1997 and 1998 LBV’s from Noval and all are characterised by the excellent extraction of fruit with impressive tannin management to provide structure and prevent cloying. A lovely drop of Port.