2021 was a clear reminder that while the Douro is undoubtedly being shaped by the impacts of climate change, the weather continues to be unpredictable. Experience and knowledge of our vineyards help us to plan our harvest by picking the fruit at the optimum moment – but unexpected changes in the weather forecast continue to drive us to make daily adjustments.

Following a succession of very hot and dry years in the Douro, the 2021 growth cycle and harvest were some of the coolest in recent years. The region experienced an unusually cool summer with none of the heat waves that have become common. Moderate conditions in 2021 encouraged slower, gradual maturations with balanced ripening, while the harvest was defined by three key periods of rain.

We started harvesting the Sousão on the 30th of August, which produced some stunning wines. This was followed shortly afterwards by the Alicante Bouschet.

We experienced heavy rainfall on the 1st and 2nd September – with as much as 40mm in the Douro Superior. This was largely beneficial, and we slowed the pace of picking from the outset of the harvest to allow the vines to make best use of the rain.

On the 13th and 14th of September, unsettled conditions returned with further rain, ranging from 20mm in our Cima Corgo quintas to just over 30mm in the Douro Superior. After pausing picking for a few days, we started harvesting the Touriga Nacional on the 18th. We were particularly pleased with this decision as the grapes came into the winery at an ideal 13° and 14° baumé.

As predicted, we started picking the Touriga Franca (usually a late ripening variety) at the same time as the Touriga Nacional at some of our estates, including Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos. This proved to be one of the key decisions as it meant we harvested our finest parcels of Touriga Franca before the month’s third bout of rain at the end of September.

The agility of our viticultural and winemaking teams meant we still managed to harvest our best performing parcels at the optimum moments. Our yields (Kg/vine) across our quintas were 3.7% above the 10-year average.

While winter and early spring rainfall were roughly in line with the average, the temperatures were higher than usual. February was particularly warm, with temperatures at least 2°C above than the 30-year average. As a result, the vines emerged from their winter slumber three weeks earlier than usual, with budbreak recorded in the Cima Corgo on March 3rd. Flowering also arrived two weeks earlier than normal, beginning on May 5th. Every month apart from April was considerably warmer than the 30-year trend and the Douro experienced the hottest July on record at 3.5°C above the average for the region.

In 2020, the Douro experienced the hottest July on record, with temperatures recorded at 3.5°C above the average. The region saw heat waves in June, August, and September which registered multi-day heat spikes above the 30-year average maximum temperatures. As a result, yields were substantially reduced compared to our July forecasts – around 40% down at some of our estates.

The vines demonstrated a variety of natural responses to the conditions, including reducing grape bunch and berry sizes, which lessened the demand on the limited soil water reserves. Fortunately, there was around 15mm of well-timed rain across the Douro on August 17th and a drop in temperatures.

Maturations were naturally advanced and in the last 10 days of August it became clear that varieties that usually ripen sequentially, would need to be picked at the same time. Although a small harvest makes it easier to manage the picking schedule, the overlap of grape ripening added a further challenge.

Harvesting began on September 1st and our experienced viticulture & winery teams adapted exceptionally well – ensuring that the varieties came into the wineries at the optimal time. These unusual conditions allowed for co-fermenting grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca which produced complex wines. Inevitably yields were incredibly low at 21% below the 10-year average in our vineyards across the Douro – at just 840g per vine, or 2,697 Kg/ha.

The standout varieties were the Touriga Nacional that produced wines with excellent structure, and the Sousão that delivered sharp acidity, which is remarkable given the conditions of the year. Comparable harvests are 2000 and 2009, which were also very hot years with low yields that nonetheless delivered small quantities of intense, well-structured ports.

It is common to hear local people in the Douro saying that the weather behaves strangely these days, with more erratic rainfall (less overall) and longer and more intense summer heatwaves – and the 2018/2019 viticultural year followed this ‘new normal’ weather pattern.

November to May was drier than the average of the last 39 years, with a cumulative rainfall shortfall of -22% over the period and higher than average temperatures.

March was unseasonably warm with temperatures 2°C above the 30-year average and a third of the monthly average rainfall. This was followed by a very wet April, with Pinhão recording 78.8mm of rainfall – significantly higher than the monthly average of 46.9mm.

Fortunately, the virtual absence of rain from May to late August was balanced by cooler summer conditions. In June – unlike much of Europe – the Douro Superior saw temperatures of 4ºC below average.

The cooler conditions slowed the vines’ pace, delaying the pintor (veraison) in the most precocious varieties. Maturation studies started on August 12th and showed sugar readings very close to average figures. The phenolic ripeness was particularly encouraging and further advanced for this stage in the cycle. It meant that picking could start as planned in the second week of September, after sugar readings had reached desired levels.

The 2019 Douro vintage was amongst the longest in recent years, lasting six weeks, from the second week of September to mid-October – with picking started in the Douro Superior on the 9th September.

We had ideal conditions in September, with clear days and moderate temperatures contributing to smooth maturations – evident in the superb balance between acidity and sugar levels.

We paused picking on the weekend of September 21st/22nd due to rain that fell in just the right amount to rehydrate the later ripening varieties, including the Touriga Franca. Dry weather resumed after the perfectly timed rain, resulting in the very expressive aromas of the Francas.

Yields were closer to average following the exceptionally small years of 2017 and 2018. The vines at our properties delivered an average of 1.27 kg/vine, or 4,238 kg/hectare.

Overall the quality of the 2019 wines was impressive with decent quantities. The Alicante Bouschet, Tinta Barroca, Sousão and Tinta Roriz were picked at near perfect timings, coming into the winery at between 13-14° Baumé. The Touriga Nacional was excellent, delivering very dark and structured wines, while the expressive Touriga Franca benefited from the timely rain. The hallmarks of the 2019 wines are freshness and liveliness, in contrast to the concentration of recent years.

We assumed that we would revert to a normal year after the driest ever growing-season in 2017, but we were wrong, and the long drought continued through to March 2018. The Douro had endured 20 consecutive months with well below average rainfall.

Our pleading to the weather gods was clearly overdone as the nearly two-year ‘seca’ ended abruptly with heavy rains in March, April and May. These fantastically wet months delivered more than double the normal rainfall and culminated in a major storm on the evening of Monday 28th May. In the Pinhão area, 90mm of rain fell in less than 2 hours, with some localised but devastating hail. No soil can absorb this quantity of water, especially our steep hillside vineyards, and erosion caused severe damage. Incredibly, olive trees were scarred by the stones hurled against them by the gushing water as it headed downhill to the river. This major gale was heart-breaking, and the wise old Douro caseiros (vineyard foremen) shook their heads in despair.

Heavy spring rain is always a challenge as we go through the delicate bud break and later flowering, and inevitably this watery spring resulted in substantial losses. Vineyard work was intense and costly this year and farmers who were a few hours late in their treatments lost their entire crop. It is impossible to ignore the fact that 16,890 farmers in the Douro have less than 2 hectares of vines each and yet they represent 23% of the region’s vineyards. Most of these small holdings are notoriously under-equipped and their future is increasingly doubtful as their children flock to the cities to find easier work.

Bud break was three weeks behind normal because of the wet and cool spring and the pintor (the painter, i.e. veraison) arrived two weeks later than average. Finally, a more normal weather pattern emerged in July with average temperatures and no relevant rainfall. The vineyards that survived the strange and challenging lead-in to the final furlong were looking magnificent through a hot August, clearly benefiting from good moisture in the soil.

The indispensable long-term weather forecast (unavailable to our ancestors) predicted fine weather through to October, and this proved entirely accurate, giving adequate time to allow the grapes to reach full maturity. We felt by now that we had truly earned a calm and pleasant harvest; September was rather hotter than we would have liked, with the monthly average 3.4˚C higher than normal, but lovely blue skies persisted throughout. The warm days advanced grape maturation faster than expected and cooling the musts in the lagares was almost always necessary for each ferment.

Yields were absurdly low in 2018, with many of our vineyards producing 40% less than average. There are few that are less than 25% down on the norm. This was the second year in a row with dramatically low production and there was a desperate scramble for grapes, particularly from those with few vineyards. Prices for Douro wine grapes rocketed upwards, which is probably a very good thing, certainly for the farmers who have had a torrid few years. Hopefully the higher cost of grapes will correct the ridiculously cheap retail prices of some Douro wines that are seriously damaging the future of our region, putting us on a par with the world’s low-cost and high-yielding flat vineyards.

We produced some exceptionally good ports and wines which largely compensates the many difficulties mentioned above. At this stage it is easier to assess quality of the wines and these are of a very high quality. The Touriga Nacional yields were lower than expected although levels of ripeness were excellent. This variety has produced concentrated and structured wines however perhaps due to the excessive heat in September the aromas are not as lifted as in other years. We have had a solid week of Touriga Franca which have been exceptional in quality both aromatically and structurally, this variety has in many cases produced better wines than the Nacional this year.

The Douro is accustomed to challenging conditions with low rainfall and high summer temperatures, but 2017 was even drier and hotter than usual (rainfall was 50% down on the 30-year average). It is a testament to the region’s well-adapted indigenous grape varieties that despite this, the vines would deliver a healthy and extremely high-quality crop.

Reasonable winter rainfall from October 2016 through to February 2017 created water reserves in the soil that were crucial in sustaining the vines through a long and very dry summer. Although hot conditions prevailed throughout the growing season, August temperatures were close to average and this was hugely beneficial to the vines after a spring and summer with no significant rain.

The start of the growing season in March saw a pronounced upswing in temperatures and a decline in rainfall. The vines, as though second guessing the dry conditions ahead, reacted from this early stage by reducing their water consumption. This resulted in less vigour and the development of smaller canopies and smaller berries. The warm and dry conditions had the further advantage of reducing the threat of vine disease.

Inevitably, given the year’s particular conditions, the harvest started early. It was the earliest start to a vintage ever recorded by many in the Douro and was the first time many picked red grapes for port in August. Very encouraging was the fact that graduations and phenolic development kept pace with each other through the final ripening stretch in August, and this paved the way for complete and balanced fruit ripening.

The decision to pick early was vindicated by the exceptional quality of the Touriga Nacional, most of which was picked during the first week of September; two to three weeks earlier than usual. Temperatures gradually became more moderate from September 10th, allowing the Touriga Franca to ripen to perfection, conserving excellent levels of acidity, mirrored in the freshness of the wines.

Yields were very low, between 500g and 1kg in many vineyards and these tiny yields were reflected in the incredible concentration and intensity of the fermenting wines in the lagares.

There are notable precedents in the Douro of hot and dry years producing wines that have become classics. The famous 1945, considered one of the greatest Vintage Ports, was produced following a dry growing cycle that closely resembles 2017 in terms of average temperatures, rainfall, yields and timing.

We finished harvesting our vineyards on 26th September, often the starting date of previous vintages. This has been a remarkable year but it is unlikely to be a one-off; there are clear indications that our future will increasingly be defined by climate change with higher temperatures and less rain.

Now that the dust has literally settled (the first rain for many months has just fallen) on our earliest ever harvest, we are pleased to report that the wines are very promising with purple-black colours and intense flavours. The unprecedented early start to the vintage (at least a week earlier than our previous earliest harvest and nearly three weeks earlier than in some years), has certainly been the right decision. We were picking grapes with good graduations and good phenolic ripeness, and the lagares looked very promising in terms of colour and structure.

The growing season that preceded the 2016 harvest consisted of a warm winter and cool spring — both exceptionally wet — followed by one of the hottest and driest summers on record. August saw two heatwaves during which weather stations recorded maximum temperatures above 40°C. The vines naturally slowed photosynthesis, resulting in the lowest sugar readings of the last 20 years by mid-August. Fortunately, much-needed rain arrived between 25th and 26th August where it was most required, namely in the Douro Superior. This rain during the critical ripening phase made all the difference in rebalancing the vines, putting maturations back on track and helping Baumés to progress.

The first week of September brought a heatwave with record-breaking temperatures above 40°C. Quinta do Bomfim registered the highest September temperature since records began with 43°C. The summer heat was mitigated by the abundant winter and spring rainfall which had provided enough moisture in the soil to sustain the vines. A late vintage was on the cards and patience was required to allow the vines to complete grape maturations at their own pace.

More welcome rain fell between the 12th and 14th September. Picking had just started when Charles Symington ordered a complete halt to allow the most prized grape varieties more time to reap the full benefit. Picking the Touriga Nacional was deferred for a second time from the 22nd and only resumed on the 26th. This timely rain was the decisive moment of the vintage, and the weather then continued benign, with beautiful warm, sunny days and cool nights. Further rainfall only returned on the afternoon of October 13th, the day after the last grapes were picked. The vintage could not have taken place under more perfect conditions.

The deciding factors in declared vintage years depend on a few critical factors such as rain just before the harvest and whether the best grapes are picked under ideal conditions. As a result, making great Vintage Port is equal parts skill and luck. The 2016 harvest in the Douro brought perfectly-timed rain that turned a good year into a great one. Fortunately, despite a challenging growing season and a much adjusted and delayed picking schedule, those producers with excellent vineyard knowledge and confident decision-making, were rewarded with spectacular Vintage Ports.

Abundant rainfall marked the start of the viticultural year, replenishing depleted soil water reserves. This was to prove crucial due to the very dry winter, spring and summer that followed. The effects of the very dry winter were attenuated by below average temperatures. Conversely, the period between the start of the vegetative cycle and the initial stages of the ripening season (March to early July) was simultaneously the hottest and driest of the last 36 years. It was the hottest June of the last half-century.

Fortunately in the Douro Superior —usually the hottest and driest sub-region — rain came in May precisely when temperatures began to rise. Furthermore, it fell evenly, allowing the soil to gradually absorb the precious water at properties such as Quinta dos Canais, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Vesúvio, among others. This rain was of enormous benefit and helped sustain the vines during the very dry months of June and July. July and August were cooler than usual and the effects of the continuing drought were thus partially offset. The colder than usual August nights proved decisive in preserving the natural acidity in the berries. Encouragingly, in the run up to the vintage the crop was looking very healthy and the Touriga Franca looked especially promising.

In early September the grapes were in fine condition, although phenolic development was incomplete and there were signs of hydric stress due to the continuing absence of rain. The vintage started tentatively on September 8th, picking the vulnerable younger vines still in the hope that much needed rain would arrive to conclude the final ripening of the grapes. Although risky, Symington Family Estates head winemaker, Charles Symington decided to hold off picking the most valuable grapes. He noted: “we held back and on the morning of the 15th [September] a storm hit the Douro which lasted until early next morning, the skies then cleared and temperatures dropped to ideal ripening conditions…perfect! The vines responded to this miraculous rain and within 4 days the Touriga Nacional was transformed, skins having softened and flavours developed. At Canais, Vesúvio, Senhora da Ribeira, Malvedos and other quintas, picking resumed on the 21st and the Nacional was in fantastic condition and a week later the pickers moved on to the Touriga Franca, which was considerably advanced and showing great promise, possibly the most promising Franca I have seen.

After a mainly wet autumn, the winter was mild but very wet, with 44% more rainfall than normal. Although March was exceptionally dry, the accumulated rainfall by the end of the month was very close to average levels. Bud break was one of the earliest on record, having taken place 18 days sooner than average and April was exceptionally hot, with 31.9ºc registered at Pinhão. May was also hot and dry and flowering took place two weeks earlier than usual under favorable conditions. June showed considerable oscillations in temperature but thanks to vine development being two weeks ahead of normal with a well-developed canopy, the temperature spikes of the month did not damage the bunches. Maturation studies showed that sugar readings developed well at the end of August and beginning of September. Thanks to cool summer weather, acidity levels in the berries were ideal and everything pointed to an excellent vintage.

From what seemed like a perfect position to be in at the beginning of the vintage, the arrival of rain made for a challenging scenario. From September 7th, above-average rain fell in the Douro Superior and ten consecutive days of rain then followed throughout the valley between the the 14th and the 23rd. However in a region that is over 90km long with an average annual rainfall that varies from 1,000mm to 400mm, some very localized parts of the Douro were in fact much less affected and it was possible to make some very fine wines, particularly from Touriga Nacional grapes.

The relatively cool summer with balanced maturations was reminiscent of 2007. At the beginning of the vintage there was cause for optimism as the grapes displayed all the features of a very good year in the making: soft skins, full berries and balanced sugars and acidity. The Touriga Franca, was looking very promising. After picking some of the finest parcels of Touriga Nacional under mostly dry and sunny conditions, unsettled weather was to delay the conclusion of the Franca’s ripening cycle and consequently this variety did not quite fulfil its full potential. 2014 is thus very much a Touriga Nacional year.

Good levels of rain fell throughout the last quarter of 2012 and both January and February 2013 were very wet. March had the heaviest rainfall for 12 years with 176 mm, more than three times the average, and serious damage was caused not only to the roads but also to the stone and earth terraces on which our vineyards are planted. In fact dangerous rock avalanches occurred, including one between Sabrosa and Pinhão that blocked the road for several hours, thankfully occurring when no vehicle was passing.

After two drought years with 40% less rainfall than average, this year’s winter rain was of the utmost importance, giving our vineyards an abundant supply of water. Many Douro vines are not irrigated and rely on the water retained in the schistous rock and soil. April at Bomfim was cool with an average 13.8°C compared to a mean of 15.0°C. May continued much cooler than average (16°C vs. 18.4°C), so the vine’s development was at least 10 days late by early June.

In June, July and August just 4.6mm of rain fell at Pinhão. This is effectively no rain for 12 solid weeks. Although these three months were only marginally warmer than average, the lack of rain was extraordinary.
The crucial month of September started with the maturation still some 10 days behind recent years, measured both by the technical analysis as well as by the traditional tasting of berries in the vineyards and the feel and look of the skins between fingers. Some important rain fell on the 5th September (14mm at Malvedos and 13 mm at Bomfim) which was most welcome. This was more rain in one day than had fallen in the previous three months.

Charles Symington and our viticulture team fixed the picking for Port at Vesuvio and at Senhora da Ribeira in the Douro Superior for the 19th September and for the 23rd at our other vineyards in the Alto Douro. These dates were based on several preceding weeks of careful assessment of grape maturity and the scene was set for an exceptional year. The picking for our Douro DOC wines had started several days earlier.

By the afternoon of Monday 23rd September, with the pickers already in the vineyards picking the Barroca and some other varieties, the long-rang forecast began to show Atlantic rainstorms coming into the Douro on the afternoon of Friday 27th, with wet weather predicted to persist for 6 days. By sunrise on Tuesday morning, Charles had changed the entire picking order that had been so carefully decided just a few days previously. All the pickers were asked to go immediately into the Touriga Nacional, Souzão and Vinha Velha vineyards. During the next 5 days, and in perfect sunny weather, some of the best grapes were picked and brought into the wineries. The lagares fermented during this period are really exceptional, with wonderful colour and aromas. Sure enough rain came in late on Friday, although sparingly in the eastern part of the valley. The unsettled weather persisted until Thursday 3rd, although on the Sunday and Monday there was no rain to speak of. We picked much of our Barroca and Roriz during these unsettled days and their tougher skins and higher Baumés did not suffer much. Some grape varieties did naturally register a drop in sugar readings at this stage, and in the lower-lying and more enclosed vineyards, careful work was needed by the pickers and on the sorting tables.

As from the 4th October, the fine dry weather returned, accompanied by a healthy wind that dried the vines and the top soil. In this phase our pickers started harvesting the Touriga Franca which gave excellent colour, with berries in very good condition. This was good news as Franca with its fragile skins, can be susceptible to excess moisture. An advantage of our steep Douro vineyards is that the land drains very well after rain,which prevents the damp earth from creating problems in the very ripe berries. Towards the end of the harvest, we returned to our higher vineyards of Touriga Nacional (300 to 450 meters up the valley sides). These grapes came into the wineries with very healthy 13° and 14° Baumés and the fine weather continued until the 13th October by which time all our best vineyards had been picked.

During 2012, up until the end of September, rainfall was 54% below the mean. When a vineyard receives just 217 mm in 9 months, which was the case of the Quintas around Pinhão, the consequences are to be feared. The first three months of 2012 were really concerning with just 16.4 mm falling over 90 days; there was no effective winter rain from 1st January until April (over 200 mm would have been normal). It seemed that the gods were against us, because we then had 128 mm in April and May, just when the crucial flowering and fruit set takes place. But the low bud-burst was what we needed; resulting in relatively low quantities of fruit so that the vines would have fewer bunches and berries to ripen.

July and August were relatively mild with average temperatures of exactly 23.7ºC in both months. The 21 year average for July is 25.0ºC and for August 25.3ºC. So these moderate temperatures had a profound and positive impact on the quality of the fruit and the wines. Charles Symington, responsible for winemaking at our Quintas, commented that this year showed beyond doubt that excess heat before the harvest is more concerning for our vineyards than drought.

Picking started some 10 days later than normal on the 13th September. The lead-up to picking had been complex, as Charles and his viticulture team analysed the relative ripeness of the different vineyards and grape varieties. The drought caused the ripening to follow a somewhat erratic pattern. Heavy rain came from the Atlantic and over the Marão on the 23rd September with 20mm and again on the 25th with a further 23mm. This rain brought far cooler nights and daytime temperatures. Charles decided to suspend picking at the top vineyards on the 29th and 30th in order to allow the vines to recover their equilibrium and to concentrate the sugars. This was a risky thing to do as the September equinox normally brings unsettled weather. The gamble paid off wonderfully and the Touriga Franca picked after the rains well into October, was harvested in perfect condition under clear skies and moderate temperatures. Yields were remarkably low with many vineyards in the Douro Superior recording drops of up to 40%.

The last few months of 2010 saw very heavy rain across the Douro, as well as occasional snowfall, and 2010 ended with total rainfall for the year well above average.  This created the water reserves deep in the soil which were key to the progress and extraordinary success of the 2011 harvest, despite 2011 itself being a very dry year.

Meteorologically, 2011 was a roller coaster ride:  cooler than average through March, hotter than usual in April and May, generally cooler again in June and July, a typical hot dry August and an absolutely gloriously clear, sunny and warm harvest period in September and early October.  June did bring us an unfortunate surprise over the São João weekend, when temperatures spiked up well over 40ºC for two days only.  Thin skinned grapes, particularly Tinta Barroca, suffered sunburn, effectively maturing and then turning the grapes into dried-out raisins within 48 hours, thus reducing the crop for affected varieties.

The average budburst date of 20 March was a few days earlier than average.  In the unusual warmth of April and May the vines matured rapidly and flowering was on the 11th of May, one of the earliest in memory, almost two weeks ahead of average.  Like flowering, pintor, the change of colour in the grapes, began much earlier than usual – as early as the 9th of July at Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha.  In mid August, when we began our maturation studies, sugars were at good to high levels, with phenolic ripeness lagging a bit.

Every year the winemaking team hope for a little rain just before harvest to freshen the grapes and soften the skins after the hot dry summer and in 2011 we had our wish:  on the 21st of August we received very welcome rainfall followed by cooler and cloudy weather until the 1st  of September when a little further rain fell and was followed by sun and warm temperatures.  This weather pattern was ideal to finalise the ripening of the grapes with the development of the phenolics, the flavour compounds, catching up and balancing the sugar levels nicely.

Whilst the remarkably early development of the vines and grapes suggested an early harvest, in light of the rainfall and the phenolic maturation of the grapes we took the risk of giving the grapes more time, and ultimately began harvest at or near our usual dates in mid September. Cockburn’s Quinta dos Canais began picking on the 8th of September, Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Vesuvio on the 12th,  Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos on the 15th and Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha on the 18th.

After three very dry years, the Douro had an absolute deluge during the winter of 2009/2010 . By the end of March 2010 we had had rainfall in excess of 100 mm per month for six straight months – a first since our records began in 1967.

We therefore entered the summer with good water reserves deep in the ground, which served us well. We had no rain at all in July and August, not one millimetre for more than 8 weeks, and in August the average daily temperature was over 35° C. The lush canopy of leaves which developed early in the season helped to shade the bunches, but vines cease to photosynthesise when temperatures are over 35° C, so maturation was slowed, though the vines showed surprisingly little stress, due to the winter’s water reserves.

Picking began a little later than usual, 13th September at Quinta do Vesuvio, the 16th at nearby Sra da Ribeira, Telhada and Vale Coelho, and also at Quinta do Tua, further down river. On the 20th we began picking at Malvedos, Bomfim and Retiro, and Cavadinha, as usual the outlier given its cooler position and higher altitude in the Pinhão Valley, began on the 23rd. There was near perfect weather throughout the harvest, a few dark clouds some afternoons but no real rain except the night of 3rd October.

It appears at the time of writing (some tanks are still fermenting) that the Touriga Franca, always a late ripener, has performed less well in some vineyards this year. Franca did not like the conditions in some areas, but in others it was very fine. But the excellence of the Nacional has more than made up for this.

Third year in a row of drought in the Douro. Though by September we had had less than half the usual amount of rainfall, some of that fell in June which helped the vines develop good canopy for bunch shade. Luckily the summer began fairly cool and it was not till mid August that it warmed up, with a couple really hot spells (upper 30s to 40° C) in mid August and again around 9th/10th September. After that it cooled off again.

Harvest began about a week earlier than usual, Quinta do Vesuvio, Telhada, Vale Coelho and Senhora da Ribeira (all in the Douro Superior) on the 7th, Quinta dos Malvedos on the 14th, Bomfim 17th and Cavadinha on the 20th. The weather held well throughout the vintage, and only on the very last day at Cavadinha did we get the rain we had wanted all summer – all of it! 60 mm fell in just a few hours, which is more than we get most months.

Grapes were in generally good condition – no sign of any rot and only some showing the effect of the heat. Somes musts required cooling but they gave concentrated colours and aromas. Yields were substantially down as a result of both the drought and rigorous selection, by about a third in our own quintas.

Very little rain over the winter, but then a very wet and stormy April and May, which caused very poor fruit set. Luckily the summer was dry and cool, and although August was windy, it was not the hot, drying easterly winds from Spain, but a cool damp wind coming off the Atlantic up the Douro valley. So, although the vines were luckily not stressed, they were pretty backward in their development; our August maturation studies showed some of the lowest readings on record, according to Charles Symington, our head winemaker.

September arrived, and with it some much needed rain, followed by warm temperatures, over 30°, and Charles noted the rapid sugar accumulation in the grapes. Despite some rather terrible weather forecasts, we held our nerve and determined not to rush the Port harvest, but allow the grapes more time to mature. Although there were heavy showers in the western end of the Douro on the 21st and 22nd September, the weather then cleared off. Sun returned on the 23rd, the temperatures were very comfortably in the high 20°s every day, and barring one showery afternoon the weather was near perfect right through the end of our harvest on 15th October. On the 16th the heavens opened, but luckily all our grapes were in.

A reasonable winter, with average to heavy rains in October, November, December and February, but a rather dry January, March and April. The winter was not unduly cold, very few frosts, and in March the weather was so good our teams were working in the vineyards in shirtsleeves. The fine weather held through April and well into May, bringing on the vines quite well, but later in May cool, overcast weather and some rain disrupted the fruit set. Cool weather and more rain delayed pintor (colour change) from the usual mid/late July into August.

On the other hand, because of the mild weather, polyphenolic development was good – temperatures over 35° actually cause the vines to shut down the work of ripening, but in the absence of that kind of heat, the vines carried on splendidly. At the very end of August we had just a bit of rain, which is nearly always welcome around that time, to soften the skins for harvest.

Picking started later than usual, at Warre’s Quinta de Telhada on the 10th September. Quinta do Vesuvio on the 14th. Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos started on the 17th and Dow’s Bomfim on the 24th. Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha, always one of the last to start harvesting due to its unique position, started on the 27th September.

Good winter rains between December 2005 and April 2006, very welcome after the drought of 2004/5. Spring weather was generally good for budburst and fruit set, though strong winds disrupted fruit set in the higher vineyards. May was the hottest on record for 40 years, and June continued hot, till a freak hailstorm hit the Douro.

June got hotter until a very severe hailstorm hit some vineyards in the premium areas of the Pinhão and the Rio Torto valleys on the night of the 14th. In about 20 minutes of intense hail, several vineyards lost up to 30% or more of their crop. The vine leaves looked as if they had been blasted by shotgun pellets from a distance of a few yards. Many young and as yet green bunches of grapes were partially shredded. Fortunately the Douro is made up of many sharply contoured hills and valleys, consequently numerous vineyards were shielded from this onslaught and the storm only affected the above-mentioned areas, the rest of the Douro simply benefited from some timely rain.

July was also unpleasantly hot, the lowest maximum temperature recorded at Vesuvio all month was 37°. August began cooler and delivered some welcome rain mid-month, but unfortunately turned up the heat again after that, which held into September.

Charles set the picking dates at our easternmost vineyards, including Quinta do Vesuvio, for the 11th September. Graham’s Malvedos started on the 14th, at Warre’s Bom Retiro (in the Rio Torto) harvesting started on the 18th, at Bomfim on the 21st and at Cavadinha on the 25th September. Due to Atlantic hurricanes, we had some unsettled weather during the harvest, but what rainfall occurred was followed, most fortunately, by winds which came through the valley and dried the ripe bunches, so no real harm was done.

Baumés were good at between 12° and 13.5° and the grapes were generally in good condition although there was some raisining, a result of the hot summer weather. After the first very hot week cooling was not needed in the lagares at most of our wineries as the grapes were arriving at an ideal 20° to 21°C.

The winter of 2004/5 was extremely dry, less than half the 15 year average of rain fell. We had just 6 mm of rain in June and none at all in July and August and there was a plague of forest fires all over Portugal. Luckily, we had had a good flowering and fruit set in the spring, so yields were good, despite the drought – plenty of bunches, though the berries remained fairly small.

By the end of August the vines were showing signs of severe stress, and the decision was taken to start harvesting the younger (less than 5 year old) plantations, whose immature root systems make them particularly susceptible to water stress, beginning on 30th August at Vesuvio.

On the 6th and again on the 9th September we had steady rain for several hours, and picking was suspended to allow the rain to benefit the grapes. Thereafter, we enjoyed perfect weather with cool nights and heavy dew – it couldn’t have been better for harvesting.

October and November 2003 were very wet, but the balance of the winter and spring of 2003/2004 were very dry, with less than half the ten year average rainfall. Whilst bud burst and shoot growth were good, given warm dry, sunny conditions, the fruit set was lower than normal in May.

The vines were in excellent condition going into August, but we were concerned that the normally hot dry month would stress the vines. In the event, we received an extraordinary 77 mm of rain in August, versus an average of only 15mm over the prior 25 years. This was accompanied by relatively low temperatures, and ripening slowed dramatically.

Though we were concerned about the risk of rot if the rain were to continue, the grapes were just not ripe enough to make good Port, so we gambled and waited out the unsettled weather in early September. It paid off: we enjoyed 25 days of perfect harvest weather, with sunshine and temperatures around 30° C every day. When the weather finally broke on 9th October, all our grapes were safely in our wineries.

Yields were lower than average due to the very dry winter, but the colour of the musts in the lagares and the fermentation tanks was excellent. Cooling equipment was essential as our grapes were coming into our wineries on some afternoons at 24ºC and the fermentations would have been much too fast and too hot if we did not have equipment with which to cool the must. The grapes were in very good condition; Baumés were above average at about 13º.

Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional gave lower than average yields but gave fine concentrated musts. The Roriz and Barroca performed particularly well, the latter giving good yields as it was picked first, while the other varieties became more concentrated during the warm September weather.

The weather in the Douro has always been a key factor in the making of great Vintage Port. In 2003 the annual cycle of the vine was exceptionally good: very heavy rain fell from November 2002 into January 2003. Exactly 676 mm was recorded in Pinhão during this period, more than double the ten-year average; this was to prove of crucial importance later in the year.

Flowering took place under very good conditions during mid May, which turned out to be a particularly dry month. Rain fell on the 29th and 30th June and again on 15th July. Once again these heavy showers were to prove critical later.

Then came the famous “hot summer of 2003” – except for the Douro, where it was no hotter than usual. Temperatures rose to a maximum of 42ºC in Pinhão during the first few weeks of August. Persistent heat of this type results in the vine protecting itself by naturally closing down to prevent loss of moisture.

On the 27th and 28th August, 31 mm of rain fell at Pinhão with maximum temperatures of 26º. This rain was heaven sent and played a central role in the quality of the fruit harvested a few weeks later. Perfect ripening weather followed.

Those planning a very early vintage were wise to put off the starting dates to allow the humidity to benefit the fruit. The weather cleared and warm and dry weather continued virtually unchanged throughout the picking which began in mid-September.

Due to the excellent ripening conditions throughout all of September, baumés were high and fruit arrived at the wineries in perfect condition. However, the warm weather meant the temperatures of the grapes coming into the wineries were high, particularly in the afternoons. Those wineries without cooling equipment were in some difficulty, with fermentation temperatures going well beyond sensible levels if the wine was not drawn off early.

2003 was clearly a Touriga Vintage, the heat resistant Nacional enjoying the conditions, giving baumés of around 14º with balanced acidity. The wines are dark, concentrated and elegant in aroma. The Franca, a typically late ripening variety greatly benefited from the warm and dry weather in September achieving excellent baumés of 13-14º in most Quintas. The Barroca in some of the south facing slopes of the Upper Douro suffered with the heat, as might be expected; although overall the variety achieved a high level of phenolic ripeness producing classic powerful and robust wines.

Yields were a little lower than had been predicted in June/July due to the summer heat, but there is no doubt that some classic Ports were made in the Douro in 2003.

The winter of 2001/2002 was very dry in the Douro, with records at Pinhão showing a rainfall between November and March 30% less than normal. The clear weather meant warm sunny days were followed by very cold nights, and the extreme fluctuations led to a later than normal budburst. April frost damaged some higher vineyards and reduced crops.

The summer was dry but mild, with an average temperature of only 34 C in August. The vines weathered the summer surprisingly well, due to these mild temperatures, and a generally high level of water reserves from the previous wet winter. Heavy showers in late August were perfect to bring the fruit along, with grapes swelling, sugar readings rising and skins softening.

Picking began fairly early, between 9 and 12 September with the grapes looking exceptionally good. Unfortunately, the fine dry weather broke and between 15 and 21 September we had heavy showers. Thereafter, conditions improved. The vintage was average to small in size, with higher lying vineyards affected by the April frost.

The winter of 2000/2001 was one of the wettest ever, with five months of heavy rains – at Pinhão the rainfall was double the average for the period. The Douro broke its banks in Porto six times and there was considerable damage upriver in vineyards and on roads.

The mild winter temperatures resulted in an early budburst but cool spring weather brought flowering on at the usual time in good conditions in May, and we looked set for a larger than usual harvest. Extreme heat in June put paid to that expectation in lower lying areas, however, as young bunches were exposed to heat and sun without a mature canopy to protect them. The balance of the summer was pleasant, with useful rainfall.

Picking began between the 17th and 21st September in most quintas, though Cavadinha, with its higher elevations, held back until 5 October. Fruit was in excellent condition with Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa particularly coming in at perfect maturity. Baumés were high, 13.5 in many cases. Robotic lagares were used for the first time at Senhora da Ribeira and for the second year at Malvedos and proved their worth, particularly in the ability to evenly cool the temperature of the fermenting musts during hot Douro days.

Fruit was in excellent condition with Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa particularly coming in at perfect maturity. Baumés were high, 13.5 in many cases. Robotic lagares were used for the first time at Senhora da Ribeira and for the second year at Malvedos and proved their worth, particularly in the ability to evenly cool the temperature of the fermenting musts during hot Douro days.

The winter was exceptionally dry with virtually no rain from October 1999 to the end of February 2000. There were bright blue skies day after day and temperatures were very mild. Consequently this led to an early budburst. However, cool and wet weather set in during April and the rains persisted into May, registering three times the normal average rainfall. This slowed down vine development and flowering was delayed into May.

Flowering took place under continued very wet conditions leading to very poor fruit set. This set the scene for one of the smallest harvests in many years.

During June ideal dry weather conditions prevailed. July and August saw some useful showers although the summer wasn’t one of extreme heat and as such vine development towards the end of August was slightly behind normal. September began with an unusually hot period, leading to a rapid advancement in maturity. When the harvest started the fruit was in excellent condition, the grapes looking slightly “raisined” as good Port grapes should.

It had been many years since so many of the quality indicators have been present in any one year, namely the excellent fruit quality, high sugar readings, ideal weather throughout picking, very low yields, purple colours already apparent from the beginning of fermentation, wonderful aromas from the musts and the low juice to skin ratio.

Fermentations took place under near ideal conditions, no cooling being required, in fact a little heating was needed due to quite cool nights. The ideal fermentation temperatures produced wonderfully aromatic musts.

The winter of 1998/1999 was exceptionally cold and dry. A late budburst was followed by a wet April and early May, delaying flowering until late in the month, however conditions were then very favourable.

June and July were warm and dry, though the effects of the dry winter were seen in the slow development of the vines. Miraculously, three days of steady rain arrived in early August which had a beneficial effect on berry size and colour. Thereafter the month continued dry with some more useful rain in the first week of September.

Vintage began generally around 20th September but at the same time unsettled weather set in, with 12 days of intermittent rain, some quite heavy. Only the Douro Superior escaped this weather pattern. Luckily temperatures were cool so there was little if any rot. Madalena, in the Rio Torto and Sra da Ribeira in the Douro Superior held off until the 30th September and Cavadinha in the Pinhão valley began on the 1st October, so enjoyed fine dry conditions for their harvests.

The grapes came in quite cool and with high Baumés, so most quintas reported slow fermentations and, in the time-honoured phrase, the lagares “took a lot of work.” Three of the new robotic lagares were in use during this harvest and attracted a lot of visits from curious neighbouring wine makers.

After a short, sharp winter the Douro ‘enjoyed’ an uncharacteristically hot and dry February and March; by late March vine shoots were already 30 cm in length. April and May, however, were extraordinarily wet and cool, with frost in higher lying areas. The result of this pattern was poor fruit set and one of the smallest vintages in living memory. June was mercifully mild and July and August hot and dry as they should be, and the grapes had achieved perfect ripeness in many areas.

The harvest began around 21 September and the first Baumés were promising. Sadly, the weather broke and the harvest continued in wet conditions, reducing Baumés. Senhora da Ribeira was one quinta to start early, 14 September, and complete their harvest before the rains set in, and Cavadinha, as usual, began quite late on the 1st October, also missing the rains and harvesting in fine conditions.

An unusual viticultural year.  Very cold in January with heavy snowfalls covering the region, even in the river quintas, which is a rare sight. But in early February conditions changed drastically with average temperatures in February and March 4° C above normal, as high as 30° C and no rainfall.  This provoked a budburst some 15 days earlier than usual and rapid development of vines, with flowering taking place nearly a month earlier than in 1996.

In April and May the weather became much cooler and we had heavy rains. These affected flowering and fruit set in some higher vineyards, but ultimately were to stand in very good stead later in the summer.

Although the rains ceased, the cooler temperatures persisted though to mid-August.  Only in the final stages of maturation from mid-August and throughout September did we finally experience high temperatures, sometimes reaching 40° C,  This extremely hot period was accompanied by some very welcome rainfall on the 24th and 27th of August, refreshing the grapes at an opportune moment.

This ideal final ripening period proved decisive to the outstanding quality of the year, and ensured the grapes were in excellent condition and at peak maturity with sugar readings on average an optimum 13 Baumé.

Picking began on 18th September at Vesuvio, on the 22nd at the river quintas in the Cima Corgo, and at Warre’s Cavadinha on 29th September.  Harvest took place in dry conditions and although yields were low, it was soon apparent that great wines were being born, due to the intensely fragrant and concentrated musts and the enormous amount of colour visible during fermentation.

After one of the wettest winters on record and flooding on the Douro, spring and summer were mild, and flowering and ripening took place under near perfect conditions. The mildness continued throughout the summer, however, making for quite a late harvest in order to achieve ripeness. Harvest took place under warm and dry conditions, with cool nights.

Harvest began at Vesuvio 16 September, the river quintas in the Cima Corgo began picking between the 23rd and 26th September and Cavadinha, as usual the late outlier, did not commence harvest until 8 October.

The viticultural year began auspiciously with a good wet winter. March and April brought fine and unseasonably hot weather, which caused an early and prolific budding and considerable early growth. Unfortunately this came to an end with a sharp cold snap, even some severe frosts which adversely affected the flowering on the highlands.

Mid May through July were relatively mild, and intense heat really only set into the Douro in August, with many days around 35°C, and even some up to 40°C, and temperatures remained high through early September. The heatwave was causing some anxiety about the condition of the grapes, and a few farmers panicked and began picking as early as late August.

Those who waited were rewarded. The weather broke on 5 September with over an inch of rain falling in the Cima Corgo over the course of three days. Grapes picked after the rain made substantially better wines: slightly desiccated grapes swelled with the additional moisture and skins softened, allowing for better extractions of flavour and colour. From the 10th September the weather was dry, clear and sunny with cool nights, ideal for harvest. All the top quintas had finished by 26th September, the harvest on each having lasted about two weeks.

The rains that marred the 1993 harvest continued throughout the winter of 1993/94, with only one brief period of respite in December. Total rainfall was double the aver- age for the period, but after three very dry winters in a row, this was actually quite welcome.

Spring weather was warm, rapidly bringing on the development of the vines, but just a bit unsettled, with rain in May affecting the flowering, leading to a relatively small crop. Conditions through the summer were good, not much excessive heat and only enough rain to be beneficial. By early September, after one last light rain to swell and freshen the fruit, the grapes were in perfect condition and free of any disease.

Harvest took place under ideal conditions: warm, mostly sunny days and cool nights. Start dates were: Bomfim 16th September, Vesuvio 19th, Malvedos 21st, with Cavadinha, as usual, starting latest of all on the 29th. Quinta do Vesuvio, in the Douro Superior, typically begins roughly a week before the Cima Corgo quintas, but winemaker Peter Symington decided to delay picking well beyond the traditional starting date in order to produce even more concentrated wines.

The grapes were in an excellent state of maturity, the musts had magnificent colour and bouquet. Sugar readings were very good, as high as 14.9°.

The winter of 1991/92 was one of the three driest in Portugal since records have been kept. Producers and shippers became anxious as the vines survive the long dry summers of the Douro by drawing on underground water reserves created by winter rains. A little rain fell in May and June, but the flowering took place successfully in dry conditions.

Although August was not as hot as usual, the vines, particularly young ones, were showing signs of stress.Tremendous thunderstorms on the 7th and 8th of August and another three days of rain at month end made for very high rainfall for an August: 2.76 inches. The rains helped swell the grapes and soften the skins and maturation proceeded favourably, with the grapes in excellent condition for harvest.

Picking began in mid-late September, and some further rain late in the month was not helpful to those who were still harvesting. At Malvedos, in the heart of the Cima Corgo, harvest started on the 17th and finished on the 27th. Vesuvio started on 14th September, Bomfim 21st and Cavadinha on 28th.

In general the fermentations have shown excellent colour and nose. The grapes have been in good condition although yields were 20% below those achieved in 1991. This is not surprising considering the dry winter. There has been some uneven ripening due to the winter drought, but in general it can be said that some very good wines have been made. Fermentations showed excellent colour and nose, and grapes were in good condition, though yields were down.

A good wet winter (much needed) followed by a dry spring and a hot dry summer. By mid-August the grapes were looking a bit shrivelled, however in the second half of the month there was heavy dew at night which enabled the grapes to swell to normal proportions despite the lack of rain. Some rain fell on the 11th and 12th September which interrupted picking for a few hours, but wind soon dried the grapes. Otherwise, harvest conditions were excellent

Picking began at Vesuvio on the 9th September, Malvedos on the 11th (at temperatures of 40° C), Bomfim 16th, and Cavadinha and Rio Torto Valley 25th. Yields were lower than average. What was lacking in quantity, however, was made up in quality and concentration of colour and aromas as well as excellent sugar levels in the musts. The cooler weather during picking forced certain producers to heat the must slightly in order to start the fermentations. However, it became very apparent that some classic wines were being made.

Rainfall for the year up to the time of harvest was only about half the average, but what did fall came at nicely spaced intervals throughout the spring and early summer. Budding was heavy and led everyone to expect a large crop.

There followed an exceptionally hot summer and the grapes seemed to shrivel before they had even ripened. Rain finally arrived 21st August and further rain in early September brought cooler weather; by mid September temperatures finally dropped below 30° C for the first time in almost two months. The rain allowed the grapes to swell and ripen fully. Grapes were uniformly healthy from start to finish, without a trace of mould or rot to be seen.

Harvest at Cavadinha began on 21st September.

The winter of 1988/89 provided only about half the average rainfall, however the vines matured nicely, helped by a bit of rain from occasional thunderstorms through late July. But severe heat in late July and August – as much as 42° C in the shade at Pinhão for four days running – caused some vine stress.

With no rain forecast and grapes now starting to dry rather than mature, the decision was made to begin harvest around 7 September in the more advanced areas. On the 8th and 9th September heavy rain did fall in the Cima Corgo, but very little east of Tua. Quinta dos Malvedos, near Tua, reported only “a little rain” on the 8th and 9th. The vines responded well to the rain and the perfect harvest weather which followed and grapes picked after those dates showed much higher sugar content and gave greater yields.

Spring and early summer were characterised by exceptionally bad weather, exemplified by the record at one unfortunate quinta: a production of only 4 pipes versus an average of 130, as a result of mildew, desavinho (abortion of flowering and fruit set, usually due to adverse weather at the time of flowering) and finally hail.

The summer was relatively cool and approaching harvest in late August the vines were fairly backward, but from 5 September a scorching heat wave set in. In Porto shade temperatures were as high as 38° C, extraordinary for a city on the Atlantic coast. In the Douro temperatures were 40° C and more, 42° C recorded officially near Pinhão and 45° C on the verandah at Quinta dos Malvedos. Temperatures did not drop to more normal levels (30° C) until 12 September.

However uncomfortable it was for people in the Douro, the grapes responded well to the heat and caught up their maturation.

Picking began 22 September in Rio Torto, Pinhão and near Tua, and by 26th picking was in full swing throughout.

Winter provided less than half the average rainfall, but in the spring the vines seemed to set an extraordinary quantity of bunches, with little loss during the flowering period in May. But from mid-June the region “enjoyed” three exceptionally hot and rainless months, with only a couple brief thunderstorms that had little impact on overall conditions. By early September the vines were heavily laden with small bunches of distinctly dried up grapes. Because of the dry winter, there was less leaf cover than usual, which led to some “sunburn.”

Harvest began in the Douro Superior around 7th September, quintas near Tua began on the 14th and by the 18th the picking was in full swing across the region, in hot dry conditions, with temperatures around 38° to 40° C. On the 21st, however, the weather broke with strong winds and rain. There followed a generally overcast, warm and showery three or four weeks, with only a few days of clear sun at the very end of September. As Paul Symington’s harvest report observed, “Apart from the discomfort of picking from wet vines, and general mud and slush under foot, the continued damp weather has proved to be of very positive benefit to the very dried up bunches of grapes.” The rain softened the hardened skins of the grapes which swelled with the moisture and the quality of the musts improved day by day, with the grapes generally arriving in healthy condition.

Sugar readings were high – mostly around 14° at Malvedos – but production was low: 820 kilos of grapes to produce one pipe of must (normally this figure would be around 750 kilos).

Apart from a little rain in late June, drought conditions prevailed until 10 September, when it began to rain, at times very heavily, only clearing after the 23rd. The rain was succeeded by perfect vintage weather – fine hot sunshine, temperatures no more than 32° C and cool autumnal nights.

Zimbro and Malvedos quintas, near Tua, began picking on Monday 22nd September in damp conditions, Bomfim and most of the Rio Torto quintas startded on the 25th. Upper Douro quintas showed sugar graduations of 12° – 14° and better than expected yields, with very healthy bunches; thankfully no rot or mould despite the mid-month rainfall.

1985 was a model year for the growth of the vines. A wet winter followed by a moderate spring led into an extremely warm June and a hot July and August.

Harvest took place under perfect weather conditions, and the fermentations went well also. From the very start shippers were predicting outstanding wines.

Normal rainfall during the winter was followed by a cold wet spring, and summer not really starting until June. The first three weeks of September were fine, hot and dry, but on 28th September the temperature dropped sharply and it rained heavily. Within 24 hours the sun returned, but temperatures never recovered to pre-rain levels. Heavy rain on 3/5th October, picking temporarily suspended, then good weather through to 18 October.

The vintage started on 17 September at Quinta dos Malvedos in the Cima Corgo, in fine weather with cool nights. Sugar graduations from 12.5° to 14°. Elsewhere, Bomfim and Rio Torto quintas started between 24 and 27 September.

Vineyard development through the spring was a bit backward, but this proved an advantage when damp cold weather arrived in May.  Had the vines been more forward they might have suffered far more desavinho (abortion of flower and fruit set) than they in fact did. Towards the end of August there was some concern that the vines were still generally two to three weeks behind in their maturity.

September, however, was exceptionally hot and sunny, and the grapes came on wonderfully, and the month finished with exactly the kind of showers needed towards the end of the growing season to freshen the grapes.

Harvest started in the Pinhão and Rio Torto valleys in early October, with grapes at perfect ripeness and high sugar readings and the weather continued dry and hot throughout the harvest period, to the end of October.

Some frost damage in early May in fringe areas, otherwise by end August vineyards looking very healthy.

No rain from early June until 28th August. Heavy rain that weekend had such great effect that then-current estimates for the harvest start date were brought forward 10 to 14 days! This was followed by excessive heat (38° in the shade at Pinhão) and rather oppressive thundery conditions in the first half of September.

Picking in Rio Torto and Pinhão started generally 13 September, with the grapes in perfect condition and graduations of 13° to 14°. From 16 September temperatures dropped into the upper 20° s and although the weather continued a bit unsettled sugar levels remained high. The first few days of harvest, before the temperatures broke, grapes were coming into the lagares at 28°-29° – leaving not much room for working the wines before reaching the “danger” level of 31° . After 16 September fermentations proceeded at much more ideal temperature conditions. On 10 October bright sunshine and warmer temperatures returned for the last few days of the harvest.

Spring was very wet, the weather only became warmer at the start of summer. Flowering in the Douro was generally rather poor resulting in lower yields than usual. Temperatures rose substantially as the summer progressed which greatly helped a generally difficult year. A little rain fell just before harvest in late September.

Sugar readings tended to be rather low due to the variable growing season, however the heat during the vintage ensured a good start to fermentation and wines with plenty of good colour were produced.

Very wet winter and spring followed by a dry hot summer and no rainfall from late June until 18th September.

Picking began at Bomfim on the 24th, with fine weather holding till 5th October. A few unsettled days, and clear again from 8th October on. Yields everywhere very high.

Bad weather in spring and early summer which lead to desavinho (abortion of flowering and fruit set), followed by a drought which lasted from 25 June to 8 October, with intense heat in the first few weeks of September.

Picking started at Bomfim and Rio Torto on 28 September and yielded sugar graduations of 12°-13°.

Except one brief spell in July, extraordinarily cool and unsettled weather the entire summer, flowering in June marred by desavinho (abortion of flowers and poor fruit set).  By late August development in best areas was behind, but up in “Altos” late by as much as 3 to 4 weeks.

The first fortnight of September was hot and dry, which was an immense help to the vines. This was followed by some beneficial rain and prospects for the vintage improved substantially.

Quinta das Lages in the Rio Torto started picking on the 26th September, Zimbro (near Tua) 27th, Bomfim the 28th, the Rio Torto generally on the 29th and up in the “Altos” picking started as late as 10 October. Two days of rain interrupted picking on the 7th and 8th October, but little harm was done to the grapes, and there after, though cooler, the weather was clear. Grapes continued to come into Bomfim as late as 30th October. Graduations were on the low side but the colour and flavour was excellent.

Following the driest winter on record there was a total drought throughout the summer, until the end of August. Very low production.

All districts began picking nearly simultaneously between 23rd – 27th September and the harvest was a very short 2 1/2 weeks (4 to 5 weeks is more typical). The vintage period was characterised by very cool temperatures – only 20° – 22° C – and rain.

The summer of 1975 was long, hot and dry. By late August development was looking pretty backward due to the lack of rain. It rained heavily in early September and prospects for quality appeared excellent. It became quite hot again, with just a little more rain at the end of the month, which cleared away on the 30th, and then continued hot and dry for the remainder of the vintage.

Harvest began 29th September in Rio Torto and 6th October elsewhere. Graduations were lower than expected however musts showed very well.

A summer long drought ended with a short period of rain in early September, which was followed by fine weather.

Picking dates were set for 25th September for Bomfim, Rio Torto, Senhora da Ribeira and other best districts. Cool, overcast weather arrived on the 21st with some showers, but early picked quintas were not affected. Although this pattern continued throughout the vintage, luckily there was no rot.

Sugar readings generally low, fermentations were cool, musts showed excellent colour, freshness and flavour. Yields were low, some quintas reporting their lowest on record.

The first two months of the year were rainy but the weather turned even cooler as well as dry in March.  After a warm April the weather was ideal until rain fell in early September.

The grapes were in excellent condition when picking began at Bomfim, Zimbro, Madalena and Lages on the 21st September, Sra da Ribeira on 24th, and Bom Retiro on the 30th. Harvest began in excessive heat – 34° to 35° C in the shade. From the 26th the weather continued fine but a little cooler particularly at night, which greatly helped the fermenations, and only on 7 October did the weather break and a few clouds appear. It rained on 8 and 9 October, heavily in Régua but only slightly at Pinhão, after which the weather cleared again.

The extreme heat at the beginning of harvest made for some very high temperatures in the lagares, so fermentations were rapid but colour was nevertheless excellent. Initially graduations were not particularly high, but due to the hot weather there was a certain amount of passa (slighly drying of the grapes) so that sugar readings often rose after fermentation started. With the cooler weather after the 26th fermentations were steadier and colour continued to be outstanding. After the rain on the 9th October the lagares were actually very cold and took an exceptional amount of work – at some wineries there were lagares that had four days and four nights of work.

Dry, hot summer, no rain whatsoever in June and July, and only a little in August and September.

Not much real heat in August or September, the grapes were a bit backward and the harvest later than usual, with river quintas and most of the Rio Torto starting on the 20th September, Madalena on the 22nd and Bom Retiro on the 28th. Barring a few brief showers the 28th/29th September, the weather held warm and sunny through the end of October, which certainly benefitted the later-harvested grapes.

Fermentations were steady and cool. Graduations steadily improved over the course of the harvest, initial readings of 12°/12.5° at Madalena and Retiro rising to 13.5°/14°.

A wet winter followed by storms and low temperatures in May with the sun only showing itself at the end of the month.  A fine and hot July, more leaf than usual on the vines prevented burning.

August was exceptionally hot, twice 45° C was recorded. Fortunately the month ended with cooler weather and a little rain fell, but the first week of September saw a return to fine hot weather.

The vintage started at Bomfim on 19th September in continued fine, hot weather, with the Rio Torto and other areas generally starting on the 26th. Unfortunately, rain interrupted the harvest for a few days at that point, but it did little harm to the grapes. By the 29th the weather had cleared and become much cooler and harvest continued until 2nd October when the weather broke completely with two days of torrential rains.  After that fine weather returned and the harvest continued in ideal conditions.

The overall harvest was small but of very good quality and in the first few days of harvest at Bomfim, graduations were all over 14 Bé and while temperatures rose to over 32° C the fermentations were slow and the colour and flavour of the musts appeared excellent.

A very dry year. Some very welcome rain in early March, but hopes for more went unfulfilled, as was repeatedly chronicled in the Bomfim guest books:.

Rain and thunderstorms at the end of July were followed by a hot, dry August. Vines which previously had been rather backward caught up and were “all looking splendid” [Michael D Symington] in late August. The wished-for last little bit of rain to freshen the grapes before harvest did not materialise, instead temperatures were quite high, 102° F at one point.

Harvest began at Bomfim 21st September, Sra da Ribeira and Rio Torto quintas on 26th and in general on 28th in better districts, with cooler districts not starting till 1st to 5th October. Weather fluctuated during the picking period, from hot the first week to periods of cool and overcast, then hot again, and even a few heavy showers that stopped picking in some areas.

Fermenting temperatures early in the harvest were high in the lagares, but considerably cooler – as much as 6° C cooler – in the new cubas de fermentação (fermentation vats) at Bomfim. Sugar readings throughout the vintage were good and higher than the previous year.

A typical winter with rain and snow. It began to dry out at the end of April, the vines showing promise already. It was cold and wet until the middle of June, when a sudden hot spell at the end of June caused a little desavinho (abortion of flowering and fruit set), but it cooled off again.  July and August were fine, with very dry weather and there was just enough rain, perfectly timed, on 10 September to freshen up the grapes.

Picking started 19th to 25th September in perfect weather.  The weather continued absolutely perfect, right to the end of harvest, 20th October when the last grapes came in from the high, cool districts.

Long drought from April right through the start of vintage, with intense heat only in August and September, so vines were a bit backward.

The vintage started at Bomfim and Zimbro 10th September, and wines were made during intense heat. The much wanted rain only came later in the vintage, after these quintas were done.

Disastrous thunderstorms July 2nd reduced the crop a bit, though not as much as feared.

The harvest started in extremely hot conditions at the river quintas on 4th September, but other areas started anywhere from the 11th to the 26th, making it a long drawn out vintage. The weather held well until some some heavy rain on 29th and 30th then settled down again and held to the end of harvest (around 15 October).

Very severe and wet winter, but beautiful hot April weather brought the vines along well. Summer continued hot, and the harvest began generally early.

Picking started in intense heat at Zimbro on the 8th September, Bomfim on the 12th, Sra da Ribeira and the majority of quintas on the 19th, and Quinta das Lages on the 26th. Strong showers off and on from 15th to 17th September were “just perfect” to freshen the grapes for harvest, without stopping picking. On the 26th the weather broke and there were showers again, which occasionally held up picking, but the greater part of the vintage was complete by then.

The first half of March was dry and sunny, but the second half brought gales and rain. April was cold and then the weather was fairly typical for the time of year until June, which was hot and with the highest rainfall experienced since 1896 (which was an outstanding year for Port).

July was sunny and fine, the first half of August was fine and hot, but later in the month it turned cold and rainy. September started with an unsettled patch, but this was followed by a week of hot dry weather just before harvest.  Showers off and on during the harvest period occasionally were heavy enough to stop picking. The bad weather was general throughout the Douro.

Picking started 18th September at Zimbro with excellent musts, very good colour. Bomfim, which started on the 25th, made wines which needed a lot of work, though graduations were high, mostly around 13.5° – 14° but rising to 15° and even 16° on one or two occasions.

The grapes generally speaking are looking very healthy and nice.

John D Symington
12 September 1958

Throughout the vintage the weather was most unfavourable with showers of rain which developed some of the days into continual pouring rain causing the picking on several occasions to come to a stop. The lagares took quite a lot of work. I think possibly in the better districts some quite good wines will be made but I very much doubt if any will be outstanding. The quantity generally is very much less than was expected, Bomfim producing about 54 pipes which is the lowest production for very many years.

Ronald A Symington
5 October 1958

Three days of rain “that came to schedule just at the equinox from 19th – 21st September” greatly benefited the grapes, softening the skins which had been hard and dry.

After the February rain there was a heatwave in April and the first half of May, which was followed by rain. The vines flowered well and had the benefit of further rain in June. July was satisfactory and August hot, with the grapes in good condition.

Vintage started 19th September at Bomfim and many of the hotter districts. Fine, warm weather throughout vintage, with one night of heavy rain, which freshened the grapes nicely for those still picking. The lagares took a very fair amount of work, with graduations of 14° to 15°, temperatures a bit on the high side occasionally, but on the whole not high enough to cause any anxiety.

Vintage started on the 27th. No rain just before vintage, but the grapes looked healthy and free of any disease during the year.

Nascença (fruitset) had been large, but the year long severe drought reduced the size of bunches and size of the grapes themselves, many grapes ‘raisinning’ without ever achieving full ripeness. Bomfim particularly suffered from a thunderstorm and hail in June. The same storm was felt at Sra da Ribeira (approx 30 km upstream) but did not do as much damage.

Rainfall a few days before vintage “did an incalculable amount of good” and weather throughout the vintage was perfect. Harvest started 16th September at Zimbro and 21st at Bomfim and Senhora da Ribeira. Vintage lasted a few days longer than usual due to the need for rigorous escolha (selection) to remove the burnt and shrivelled grapes from the bunches. Musts at Bomfim, Zimbro and Ribeira were generally 12.5° to 13°, and those from the Rio Torto generally higher, at 14° to 14.5°.

The vintage started at all three quintas [Bomfim, Zimbro and Sra da Ribeira] on 25th September. The mostos (musts) have on the whole good colour and they are certainly better than we had expected, as the weather conditions throughout the year had been most unfavourable. The rain we had about a month before the vintage followed by good weather improved matters beyond all expectation. The grapes “rendered” very well and we got a great deal more at Bomfim than we had expected, 94 pipes, only two pipes less than last year. All the lagares took a lot of work and the sweetness of the lagrima (literally, tears, referring to the musts) was around about 13.5°.

The dry weather continued through April until May, at which time the rain came to stay until the second half of June.

Harvesting began on the 25th of September under ideal conditions. The musts were of excellent quality.

The vines budded well but early, and flowering was prolific. July remained distinctly cool with no real heat. August and September were very hot indeed and the grapes ripened quickly.

Harvesting took place in very hot conditions. The yield was reduced because of the lack of rain and the dehydration of the grapes in August. The quality, however, was sound.

There was a very heavy rainfall in March, which was followed by fine weather at Easter. June was variable but the vines showed great health. It became very hot and until early September there was a drought. The rain which then followed was very helpful.

The harvest started on the 22nd in perfect conditions – sunny and not too hot.

It was a dry year, with a very hot summer; it only rained at the very end of August.

Weather conditions were perfect for a very early harvest at the beginning of September. The quantity was low, less than 1 kg of grapes per vine in the Upper Douro, but the quality was superb.

A dry winter and exceptional heat in May.  Welcome rain arrived in August and by the beginning of September the outlook had improved considerably.

Harvest began 23 September and weather throughout was cloudy with occasional rain, though not enought to delay the picking or prejudice the grapes.

Another generally dry winter, though some good rain fell on 15 December (1934), and no significant rain fell again until early April.  A cold spring led to a poor fruit set.  July and August were hot, with a little rain mid-August and almost no dew at night.

The weather was hot and fine throughout September.  The harvest began from 23rd September under perfect weather conditions.

The winter drought was broken when ten days of rain arrived in March, though they were accompanied by strong winds and some hail, and caused some flooding.  Fortunately the vines were not damaged by this weather, though the season got off to a slow start.  Heat arrived in the Douro with July and it was hoped the vines would catch up, but there was no rain again until mid September.

Vintage began at Bomfim 24 September and was general in the region by 1st October.  The weather was fine throughout, the grapes looked nicer than they had for some years.

Very little rain over the winter, and excepting a few hot days at the end of July an unusually cool summer so the grapes never ripened properly. The rain and warmer weather of September was almost too late to be of service.

Harvest began in the last week of September, with summer heat at last, but accompanied by a drying East wind, and some unsettled days.

Rain in July and August was followed by fine hot weather that burned some of the grapes.  In September there was hardly any heat or sun during the day and the evenings were cool. Just before 28 September some rain fell which did no harm.

In October, just as the harvest was beginning on the 3rd, there were 10 days of fine weather which transformed the situation.  The late harvest meant that the grapes were very ripe, and the quality was outstanding.

Summer was unusually cool but dry, however a fair amount of rain in early September improved the situation.

Weather during harvest, which began 29 September, was satisfactory.  Quantity was below the average.

Two days of rain at the end of September and harvest began generally 2 October. The weather was perfect, hot by day and cool by night.

Lagares took a good deal of work and graduations averaged from 12.5 to 13º

The early months of the year were favourable, but May was cold and variable.  There was some trouble with mildew in June, which was checked as the weather warmed up.  Intense heat arrived in July and some grapes suffered as a result; August was mainly warm and fine with a little rain.

September was decidedly favourable.  Vintage started 27 September in good weather, which broke on 4 October with heavy rains.  By then, however, most grapes had been picked.

Damaging frosts over the winter and a flood in mid-February interrupted the shipping of the prior year’s wines down to Gaia.

Vintage started 18 September, the weather was generally good but variable with some rain which did no harm.

Late spring, dry summer, first two weeks of September were very hot, and some thunderstorms at the end of the month.

Harvest started generally 8 October and weather was fine throughout.

The winter was wet and stormy, with warm weather in April bringing on the vines.  May was intensely hot, but the summer was cooler from July onwards, though no rain fell till 1st September and again on the 17th.

Harvest began on the 18th September and continued in fine weather, which broke on 2 October with 3 days of rain, though most of the best grapes had already been harvested. The wines were sound and stood a lot of work, were clean with good average sugar and considerable flavour but the yield a bit short.

Heavy rains in November and December 1910 were beneficial, and followed by heavy frosts in January.  Vines were late but doing well in April.

Vintage began 27 September in exceedingly hot weather.

Despite very little rain early in the year, there was a good fruit set.  Welcome rain arrived on 4 and 24 August, and conditions ahead of harvest were noted as very similar to those in 1896 (a legendary year).

Harvest began at all three quintas 17 September and was general by the 21st.

The winter of 1903-1904 was long and very wet with some frost.  April and June, however, were favourable, and flowering and fruit set were most successful.  The year was generally dry and there was intense heat in July and August, but rain at the beginning and middle of September was very beneficial for the quality of the grapes.

Yields were abundant with quality the best since 1900. Observers commented they had never seen the Douro vineyards present such a luxurious appearance as they did in August 1904. Harvest began 19th September and the weather was perfect, cool and a few showers. The majority of grapes were picked in excellent condition.

Fermentations slow, many mostos (musts) showed 13º.

Very cold winter, backward start to the year with the vines 3 weeks behind normal, though weather in May was “fine and fresh.”  Heat in July was noted at Bomfim as “splendid for vines but unpleasant for humans 94º in shade at 4 pm.”

Considerable rain fell in early September, but then cleared and “the most perfect weather for Vintage purposes set in.”  Harvest began 23rd September, and finished in Pinhão on 5th October. The fermentation was very equable and the lagares took plenty of work.

An “unusually long wet winter“ was followed by a spell of “summer heat“ in mid April.  Though the development of the vines was nearly a month behind, the flowering period was satisfactory. On a visit to the Douro in mid July, George Warre commented, “prospects very favourable. Many vines which seemed hopelessly done for last autumn have resuscitated and are now splendid.“  Towards the end of July and the beginning of August it became extremely hot, with the thermometer reaching 42ºC.  In mid-August the weather broke, becoming cooler and raining for 10 days. After a fine spell, rain was welcome again in late September, and the harvest was made in good weather beginning on the 21st of September.

Heavy rains in March followed by heat in early April brought the vines along well and were followed by“some beautiful rain“ in mid-May. Great heat was noted in July, and the grapes very forward, ripe enough to eat.

The vintage started on the 4th of September in the finest situations, with more starting on the 11th. Thunderstorms occured on the 6th and 18th of September doing good and the “most perfect vintaging weather prevailed.”

Heat in March brought on the vines very quickly, and flowering was in early May. Scorching heat in June continued into July, but after rain on the 18-20th the “grapes improved greatly” according to George Warre. Unfortunately, by September five months of drought and drying winds from the east had reduced the crop, probably to around 30% less than 1896.

The vintage had already started at Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira when George A. Warre arrived on the 20th of September and though daytime temperatures continued hot, the nights became cooler and even cold.

Although there was unseasonable heat in both March and April, George Warre noted that the vines were looking well but wanted rain, and later  that rains in May had done wonders and prospects were good. Rain on the 10th of September as well as night time showers on the 12, 13th and 14th, followed by fine weather did a great deal of good.

The vintage started on the 10th of September at our quintas and more generally on the 14th of September, in favourable weather, which turned cooler after the 20th.

In June the grapes had just set and the vines were looking well, though extreme heat destroyed the olive crop. The weather was good in July and August was hot, but rain was much wanted.

Fortunately, wet weather arrived on the 21st September and thereafter the weather was favourable for the vintage in October.

Mildew was exceptionally prevalent this year.

The vintage started in the third 3rd week of Setpember and some good lagares were made in the Cima Corgo, though no really first class wines.

Hot weather noted in mid March, some rain in mid April. Very dry and hot in July, August and most of September, but rain on 20th and 21st.

Harvest began thereafter, and the weather improved till more rain arrived around 7 October. The grapes were clean and ripe, though they had suffered from the drought. Yield was better than 1891 however.

Hardly any rain in the Douro through mid September, when some rain finally fell. Harvest began after that and continued in good conditions, though the grapes were not yet fully ripe, lacking sweetness and juice. Some lagares made towards the end of the Vintage were fine.