Amber colour with olive green hues. The nose has hints of toffee and coffee with raisins and mandarin peel. Unique and delicious flavours of rich raisin and dried date fruit with hints of citrus peel and caramel flavours. Concentrated and viscous...
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Amber colour with olive green hues. The nose has hints of toffee and coffee with raisins and mandarin peel. Unique and delicious flavours of rich raisin and dried date fruit with hints of citrus peel and caramel flavours. Concentrated and viscous with lingering aged complexity.
REGION
Riverina
WINEMAKING
When the botrytised Semillon grapes are being harvested for Noble One, a parcel of fruit at approx 20-22 baume is selected to produce the Black Noble intense and ripe botrytis flavours. Very little fermentation occurs before fortification with a neutral grape spirit is added to inhibit any further fermentation. Black Noble is then clarified, a touch of brandy spirit added for further complexity before being transferred into used Noble One barriques.
Alc/Vol: 17.5 % / 500ml
FOOD RECOMMENDATION
Enjoy with Christmas pudding or sticky date pudding. Try poured over vanilla ice cream or with a cheese platter after dinner.
AWARDS
2020 Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum Medal
2017 Decanter Asia Wine Show - Platinum Best in Show
2018 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition - Best Worldwide Fortified Wine - Trophy
2017 International Wine Challenge (IWC) - Trophy
2016 Decanter Asia Wine Awards - Trophy
2020 China Wine & Spirits Awards - Gold Medal
2019 Decanter World Wine Awards - Gold Medal
2019 International Wine & Spirit Competition - Gold Medal
2019 KPMG Sydney Royal Wine Show - Gold Medal
2019 National Wine Show of Australia - Gold Medal
2019 The Global Fortified Masters - Top 10 Fortified Wines - Gold Medal
2018 Decanter Asia Wine Awards - Gold Medal
2018 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition - Gold Medal
2018 Riverina GI Show - Gold Medal
2018 Sydney Royal Wine Show - Gold Medal
2017 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition - Gold Medal
2017 International Wine Challenge (IWC) - Gold Medal
2017 Riverina Wine Show - Gold Medal
2017 Sydney International Wine Competition - Gold Medal
2017 UK International Wine and Spirit Challenge - Gold Medal
2016 Decanter Asia Wine Awards - Gold Medal
2016 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition - Gold Medal
2015 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition - Gold Medal
2015 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) - Gold Medal
2018 International Wine & Spirit Competition - Outstanding Silver Medal
2020 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Competition - Silver Medal
2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition - Silver Medal
2020 UK International Wine Challenge - Silver Medal
2019 Decanter Asia Wine Awards - Silver Medal
2019 Perth Wine Show - Silver Medal
2019 Riverland Wine Show - Silver Medal
2017 Brisbane Wine Show - Silver Medal
2017 International Wine Challenge (IWC) - Silver Medal
2017 National Capital Wine Show - Silver Medal
2017 Riverland Wine Show - Silver Medal
2017 Rutherglen Wine Show Awards - Silver Medal
2016 Melbourne Wine Show - Silver Medal
2019 International Wine Challenge Tranche 1 - Bronze Medal
2020 Sydney International Wine Competition - Blue Gold
2018 Sydney International Wine Competition - Top 100
REVIEWS
A blend of aged botrytised semillon, average age 10yo. Amber, but transparent. Decadent aromas of dried tobacco leaf cum Cuban cigar, coffee bean, mocha, rancio, date, tamarind and clove. Exotic, but highly individual. Not fortified, so don’t expect the palatesweeping viscosity of that idiom, despite a rivalrous degree of palate-staining sweetness and intensity. 93 Points.
Halliday Wine Companion 2022, August 2021
This wine was originally made by Vittorio De Bortoli in the 1930's but never released. It took a new generation to discover the secret of Black Noble. Since 1982, small parcels of fruit intended for the ‘Noble One’ - have been fortified and left to age in old barrels. The vintages are blended to give an average age of around 10 years. The base wine for Black Noble comes from 1972, which was a very early attempt to make a Sauternes style wine. This wine is completely unique to De Bortoli. 5 Stars.
Grape to Glass July 2021
Opulent and plush with black fig, treacle, candied orange rind and hints of burnt caramel on the nose, while the palate is richly layered with bitter chocolate, coffee and lush peach. 97 Points.
Decanter December 2020
What a smashing wine! It is almost black in colour, has an amazing array of aromas – raisins, coffee, chocolate, Christmas pudding and toffee. Oh yum! Some of my all-time, favouritest things!! On the palate it explodes with a multitude of delightful flavours with lovely rancio characters, a hint of anise, plenty of dark chocolate and toffee. It has great depth, structure and balance with perfect acidity so that while sweet it does not cloy and leaves the palate pleading for more.
Wine Assist September 2019
Gold and brown tawny with hint of green in the hue. It’s all about raisin fruit, dates, figs, caramel and brulee. Some of the fruit and lift of muscat with the density and flavour of aged tawny. Idiosyncratic perhaps, but not without the quality and pedigree to back it up. 94 Points
Halliday Wine Companion 2020, August 2019
A luscious complex and intense concerntration of dried apricots, dark figs, burnt toffee, fruit cake and walnuts. 4.5 Stars.
Winestate Magazine August 2019
Made from fortified botrytis Semillon that's then aged in barrels for ten years, De Bortoli's NV Black Noble isn't quite black - more of a dark russet brown fading to amber at the rim. Strong espresso aromas accent dried figs and dates on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is a bit walnutty. There's still a trace of the orange marmalade notes that must've been prominent prior to aging, bringing life and lift to the long finish. 92 Points.
The Wine Advocate March 2019Many [fortifieds] also have spent a fair amount of time aging, as is the case with this this botrytis Semillon that’s been ten years in barrel. It’s oozing opulence with a luscious and super concentrated palate of prune, dried fig, mocha and baking spice. It’s rich but not cloying.The International Wine and Spirit Competition News Blog January 2019
Full mahogany-brown colour; way out in left field all on its own. Super tangy, with dried and candied citrus peel notes. Full of its own rancio. Rating: 94
Wine Companion 2019, August 2018"Australia is not the first port of call for dessert wines, but De Bortoli uses methods that acknowledge their Old World origins. Made from botrytised semillon grapes, fortified with both grape spirit and brandy, oak aged for up to 10 years, the final blend combines old and new wines using sherry’s Solera system. Immensely complex with concentrated notes of toffee, baked fruits and chocolate. Ideal for Christmas pudding, but also to drizzle over vanilla ice cream or sip with hard cheeses and chocolate-based desserts."Independent (UK) December 2017"A small parcel from the production of the iconic Noble One is fortified with brandy spirit then barrel aged for an average of 10 years. Complex aromas: raisins, espresso coffee, Christmas pudding spice, nutty rancio (a combination of walnut and butter) and dried mix fruit. It retains Semillon's juicy acidity and lightness but bulked up with charred treacle and bittersweet coffee liqueur from barrel aging. Serve with pecan pie or squares of quality dark chocolate." 9/10Daily News (Warwick) August 2017"Every man and his dog has heard of De Bortoli's Noble One, but not a lot will have heard of the Black Noble. Each year the grapes from selected vineyards are left a little longer on the vine for Botrytis, a fungus, to set in. The Botrytis shrivels the grape, increasing the sugar content and sweetness of the Semillon fruit. The fruit is then picked, fermented and matured to create a lucious, sweet wine, that is often overlooked by many. To create the Noble Black the team age the wine in barriques, then using the solera system they blend older stock back with younger stock to create a superb, complex, yet utterly drinkable wine, with the average age of 10 years. It smells like fine tawny, but with definite Botrytis notes, caramels, roasted coffee notes and traces of honey. On the tongue it shows dried figs, grilled peach, toffee and tea leaf notes. At its best when it's paired with desserts."Weekend Post (Cairns) August 2017"What a wonderful way to wind up a Winter dinner! Botrytised Semillon with an average age of 10 years through a solera system which concentrates the complexity and richness. Luscious and unique. Awarded ‘Best Fortified Worldwide’ at the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge. Savour with tiramisu."This Magnificent Life July 2017"De Bortoli has a powerful Yarra Valley arm, but this luscious drop comes from its Riverina home base. With 17.5 per cent alcohol, it has deep amber hues, pecan pie aromas and intense raisiny front-palate flavour. Treacle, hazelnuts and cedary oak meld on the middle palate and the finish has chocolate characters. It’s derived from the acclaimed Noble One botrytis semillon dessert wines. A selected batch of Noble One grapes is set aside and crushed, with the juice being transferred to oak barriques previously used for Noble Ones. The mix is fortified and placed in a solera consisting of tiers of barrels. Wine is drawn off from the bottom casks and Black Nobles have an average age of 10 years."Newcastle Herald July 2017
"De Bortoli's Black Noble was named Best Fortified Worldwide at the 2015 Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition, a unique, complex style made from botrytis grapes and a touch of brandy"
Wine Companion 2017, September 2016
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