An incredible port vintage. The ports are amazing and have great longativity. Drinking now
1964
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1965
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1966
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1967
Average Vintage Port vintage.
1968
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1969
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1970
Great Vintage Port vintage.
1971
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1972
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1973
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1974
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1975
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1976
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1977
Brilliant Vintage Port vintage.
1978
Average Vintage Port vintage.
1979
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1980
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1981
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1982
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1983
Very good Vintage Port vintage.
1984
Poor Vintage Port vintage
1985
Exceptional Vintage Port vintage.
1986
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1987
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1988
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1989
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1990
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1991
Very good Vintage Port vintage.
1992
Very good Vintage Port vintage.
1993
Poor Vintage Port vintage.
1994
Outstanding Vintage Port vintage.
1995
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1996
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1997
Very good Vintage Port vintage.
1998
Good Vintage Port vintage.
1999
Good Vintage Port vintage.
2000
Excellent Vintage Port vintage.
2001
Good Vintage Port vintage.
2002
Good Vintage Port vintage.
2003
Excellent Vintage Port vintage.
Below are very detailed vintage port reports for the following years 1900 1901 1903 1904 1912 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 19391940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 19611962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 19721973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 19941995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 VINTAGE REPORT 1900 Vintage commenced generally 1st October. Cheires e Codegaço 4th, Cabeda 6th-8th October. Heavy rains 10 days before vintage began made grapes rather green and caused a certain amount of "podre". Weather fine all through vintage. Cool and more or less cloudy till Oct. 5th, then bright and hotter. Fermentation of first lagares slow, after 6th October more rapid but later made wines look riper and better. Colour generally good; should be good clean flavoury sound wines but probably some of them rather green and stalky. VINTAGE REPORT 1901 After a very dry summer a few showers fell about the beginning of September and helped to improve the grapes which were rather burnt up. The showers did not reach Vargellas. Between 20th and 28th September there was a considerable amount of rain, at times heavy, much more rain at Régua and Cheires than Pinhão and still less at Vargellas and more in Porto than any part of the Douro. Weather cleared up on 28th September and kept perfectly fine until end of vintage and not very hot. A few people began their vintage on 23rd Sept. but most not till 30th. A considerable amount of "pedra" made a very careful "escolha" necessary and some wines will probably be tainted by "podre" especially Cheires VB. Graduations generally rather higher than last year and a few really high, last lagar Junco 18º. Colour very good and fermentation slow. Wines should be good if not too much tainted by "podre"or hard and stalky from being a long time in the lagar, and may possibly turn out better than last year. VINTAGE REPORT 1903 A most miserably small vintage probably about half last years quantity but some farmers have not more than one fifth. The extreme shortness due principally to a fearful amount of "desavinho" owing to cold and stormy weather at the time of flowering. A cold summer with only two or three short spells of very hot weather caused the few remaining grapes to be backward. A fair quantity of rain fell on Sept. 28 & 29 after which weather cleared and kept fine till October 15th.Vargellas & Pinhão commenced September 28th and most others October 5th. Grapes improved considerably during the vintage. Fine wines should be of good colour and free from any considerable defect except greenness where a really careful "escolha" was made, but this was very necessary owing to the extremely irregular state of the grapes, a certain amount of "podre" a lot of Bagoinho verde etc. We bought no cheap wines owing to farmers asking 40-45$00 or over in the hopes of high prices for consume and owing to the very unsatisfactory state of the grapes in most cheap districts.Vines generally looking very healthy. Nearly all farmers had far less wine than they calculated at the beginning of the vintage. VINTAGE REPORT 1904 Weather was very favourable to the vines throughout the first half of the year. The nascence (budburst) was large and there was hardly any desavinho. Great heat in June caused some queima (burning) and continued hot and dry weather with strong winds caused considerable damage in many fine situations the leaves being burnt to an alarming extent. During the month of August the grapes hardly seemed to advance at all, and quantity seemed likely to be much diminished and quality doubtful. A little rain fell on September 12th and more on September 18th and did more than seem possible to improve the grapes. When Vintage began on September 19th the grapes were not properly ripe even in the best situations, but they improved wonderfully during Vintage time. Weather was very favourable, fine (not too hot) fermentations were generally rather slow and the wines seem likely to turn out very fair and probably some of them really good especially in second-class situations. The fine wines suffering from a certain amount of bitterness owing to the grapes burnt up but not properly ripened. Colour generally good but less than usual in Quinta. All farmers have far more wine than they expected generally about 30% more. In all parts of the country the most abundant Vintage known for many years. 1904’s are likely to be shipped as a Vintage by all Shippers. Fine wines generally turned out well but 2nd class such as Celeiros and Cheires disappointing colour not nearly as good as seemed likely at the Vintage. NOTE: With the exception of evening rain on 24th September, the weather stayed fine from September 19th to October 9th VINTAGE REPORT 1912 There was plenty of rain during the winter and warm weather during the final half of May made the vine decidedly forward and favoured the flowering in the hotter situations, the latter half of May / June was however cold and caused much ‘desavinho’ in the ‘alto’. The summer was remarkably cool so that by the end of August the grapes, instead of being forward, were rather backward. Hot weather and an east wind during the first fortnight of September rather shrivelled the grapes up but they were decidedly wanting in sweetness. Thunderstorms and rain on the 18th and 19th of September did immense good. The grapes improving immensely and gaining sweetness. Thundery weather lasted until the 22nd and many people began the vintage on the 23rd. Fine weather lasted until the 29th but it was then wet until the 2nd of October; this rain did harm causing some "podre" but not so much as might have been expected. We started the vintage generally on the 30th of September but Vargellas and on the 23rd. Wines picked during the rain were slightly thinner than those picked before or after. Towards the end of the vintage there was a good deal of "podre" but when "escolha" was carefully done wines should be good- Graduation rather high, fermentation in most slow and steady, colour good. Production in good situations large and rather more than was expected ("altos" small). Wines all round, "altos" and inferior parts of the Baixo Corgo excepted, should be decidedly good and 1912’s are most certain to be shipped. VINTAGE REPORT 1934 There was good rainfall in November and December of 1933, but low rainfall in the Spring of 1934. Bud burst was good and about the same as 1933. Rainfall in March was high; 5.1 inches being recorded in Pinhão. Rainfall in April and May totalled only just over half an inch. The fruit was late in setting and the first colouring took place in Pinhão on the 8th July as against the 22nd of June last year.In July the grapes ripened well and caught up so that by the end of the month they were as forward as last year. However, on the whole, the summer was cool, with a few days of exceptionally hot weather at the end of July which caused a certain amount of desiccation.The general date for starting the vintage was the 29th September, although the grapes were a little on the green side. Fermentations were generally good, although there were some recorded cases of hot lagar temperatures. Many farmers had more than last year and some had a good deal more than they expected.The weather remained fine throughout the vintage. VINTAGE REPORT 1935 In the last two months of 1934 there was good rainfall in the Douro. December in particular was very wet with no less than 8.42 inches of rain in Pinhão as compared with 1.58 inches and 2.97 inches in 1933 and 1934 respectively. January was dry, but 3.22 inches fell in February. March and April were dry (only 1.88 inches for the two months). However nearly 2 inches of rain fell in May which affected the bud burst. June and July were cool and the grapes were backward, the first colouring of the grapes only occurring in Pinhão on the 17th July which is very late.July was dry, but 0.36 inches fell in August accompanied by local thunderstorms. The crop is considerably smaller than the previous year due to inclement weather during bud burst and flowering. September was warm and the general starting date for the vintage was the 7th October, although some farms in the hotter areas started on the 30th September.Grapes had come on well and wine from good situations should be very useful. Fermentation of lagares is slow and temperatures are low. Colour seems decidedly good and wines should be perfectly sound and healthy and will probably be shipped as a Jubilee vintage. No purchases in the Lower Douro were made this year. VINTAGE REPORT 1936 The growing season was wet and cold, and consequently the maturation of the fruit was backward. Most farms started the vintage on the 12th October, which was exceptionally late, although farms in the very hot situations started on the 6th.From the 4th to the 11th October the weather leading up to the vintage was cold and wet but cleared up from the 12th, and after that the days were fine and the nights cool, but without rain.The grapes were green and unripe everywhere, and apart from a little rot in a certain areas were otherwise healthy. Due to the cool weather fermentations were slow, but colour extraction was not particularly good. An uninteresting vintage and probably one of the greenest for many years. VINTAGE REPORT 1937 Due to very favourable weather conditions in the Spring there was a good bud burst. Very dry weather in July, August and the first half of September rather checked the ripening. Rain around the 16th September did some good, although this unfortunately was too late. The vintage started generally on the 27th September, and apart from three days rain from the 30th September to the 2nd October, the weather was warm and dry. Graduations were moderate and fermentations were fair, although in some cases were rather rapid. Colour seems to be deep and the wine should be good and healthy, but not very big. Most farmers had decidedly more than they expected. VINTAGE REPORT 1938 A moderate amount of rain fell in the winter and a little in the Spring. Summer was very dry. Vines were forward and the first grape colouring was on the 19th June in Pinhão. Summer was not too hot and vines on the whole preserved their foliage well though young vines in some places got a bit burnt up. Grapes were free from disease. Weather during vintage was favourable and not too hot, nights mainly cool.Fermentations were regular and wines should be quite good and at present show good colour, probably distinctly better than last year. VINTAGE REPORT 1939 There was a good rainfall during the months of October, November and December and the temperatures in the Winter were mild. A dry cool Spring followed and in June it looked like a promising crop. However, rainfall in September was 3.7 inches and caused considerable rot in the lower Douro. The vintage started generally on 2nd October and the quality will probably be poor particularly for the cheaper wines. VINTAGE REPORT 1940 There was good rainfall during the winter months and there was a very large bud burst. Though rain in late March did some damage the rain in April caused an early attack of mildew and those farmers who were late in applying their first round of Sulphate of Copper suffered very heavily. Some farmers applied as many as 7 rounds of Sulphate up to the end of August.Rains in June caused a second outbreak of mildew which did further considerable damage chiefly in the higher areas. Sulphate of Copper was short and difficult to obtain. July, August and September were for all practical purposes without rain and the Summer was very hot with long period of East winds in August also caused a considerable amount of burning of the fruit. Wines show quite good colour and first grape colouring in Pinhão on June 1st. VINTAGE REPORT 1941 A wet year and a late Spring. Vines backward all year, although thundershowers in the last week of September did some good. Grapes healthy, graduations moderate and fermentations steady. Wines seem to have good colour but not big wines. Quantity was smaller than expected and in some farms was only half last years production. Weather during the vintage was fine and warm. 25.000 pipes authorised by the Casa do Douro but probably considerably less made. VINTAGE REPORT 1942 A very dry winter followed by a cold spring caused flowering to be late, but some rain in June brought the grapes forward. The first grapes coloured in Pinhão on 12th June. Summer was hot but rain in September did good. The vintage started generally on the 2nd September; weather uncertain from the 28th on and the whole dull and cool with slow fermentations. Wines show good colour but seem rather to be lacking in body. Total amount authorised was 25.000 pipes. VINTAGE REPORT 1943 Weather during vintage changeable with a fair amount of rain, 3 inches, which did more good than harm though just at the end a few grapes were beginning to rot. Graduations were normal although there were a few cases of exceptionally huge graduations including one of 19.5.Fermentations generally regular, wines should be good generally with perhaps some tones really fine out others rather disappointing. Colour fair. VINTAGE REPORT 1944 Autumn 1943 and winter were exceptionally dry as was also the spring of 1944. The rainfall at Pinhão from November 1943 to May 1944 totalled only 6.37 inches as against 15.29 inches for the same months 1942/43. Bud burst was large and the first coloured grapes appeared at Pinhão on June 25th. Hot dry weather during the spring and early summer caused the bunches to be small and the individual grapes especially so. 0.71 inches of rain in July and 1.14 in the early part of August however helped considerably more than last year. Some houses began the vintage as early as the 25th August, however in general 11th September was the date for the better situations. Weather was cloudy and somewhat close and a thunderstorm on the 16th September did considerable damage. Sugar degrees were low and wines took little work; wines are better balanced than last year with fair colour but not big wines. VINTAGE REPORT 1945 An excellent dry year, up to May showed every prospect of being an exceptionally large vintage. Grapes set well and there were no signs of disease. First grape colouring appeared on June 15th at Pinhão which is very early indeed. April was exceptionally hot and great heat and strong winds in June caused about a 50% loss of crop due to desiccation. Further drought up to the vintage resulted in yields being very small indeed. Vintage began generally on 14th September only 20.000 pipes authorised but probably considerably less than this amount treated. Shippers bought very little and our own purchases the smallest since 1918. Wines took fair work but inclined to get very hot in the later stages of fermentation. Colour good, quality should be better than the 1944’s though wines not big. Acidity of musts a trifle low, only about 4-4,5 Tartaric. Great drought all over Douro. (Later comment) Later these wines developed considerably and gained a great deal of body. Shipped as a vintage. VINTAGE REPORT 1946 Owing to a cold and wet Spring, vines were decidedly backward and bud burst was not large, first coloured grapes appeared at Pinhão on 10th July, which is almost a month later than normal. Vintage began generally on 7th October. Except in the hottest situations, grapes were not really ripe. Musts show good colour but some are decidedly green and should not be as big wines as the ‘45’s’, though some of the best situations may produce good wines. Production generally small. Weather was fine and warm until October 4th, when we had some rain, after that cool with occasional showers. 30.000 litres authorised and prices the same as last year VINTAGE REPORT 1947 There was good rainfall during the Winter was much needed for vines still suffering from the three year drought of 1943/45. From October 1946 to March 1947, 21.77 inches of rain fell in Pinhão as compared with 17.37 inches in 1945/6. March was wet with rainfall of 5.71 inches. The Spring was cool and flowering and was about ten days later than last year. The Roriz variety however produced very little almost everywhere. The individual bunches were larger than last year. Hot weather in June brought grapes on well so that grape colouring was first seen in Pinhão about 26th June, which is earlier than the average and three weeks earlier than last year. Quantity in fine situations is in general about 10% more than last year. Fermentation regular, colour good and wines showing plenty of life though, perhaps, a little astringent. Quality should be decidedly good. Our purchases this year again small, owing poor trade prospects. Hunt Roope and Sandeman are making large purchases, also Grahams. 30.000 pipes authorised for treating and the minimum price was fixed at 1.800$00, which is 200$00 more than last year. Prices paid for fine musts by Shippers: 2.700$00. VINTAGE REPORT 1948 There was good rainfall during months of October to the end of March, 17.21 inches as compared with 20.05 inches in corresponding months last year. Bud burst was rather larger than last years except in the higher areas, but a cool Spring and a wet month of May caused a certain amount of non setting in the higher situations. Flowering was rather later than last year, but a very hot spell in June caused the first grape colouring to appear in Pinhão on 26th June. July was cold and the average maximum temperature was lower than that for June. Hot weather and east winds in August dried the grapes and similar weather in September continued the process. Some firms began the vintage as early as the 15th September but the 20th or 27th was the more general date. Weather during the vintage was hot, particularly till 22nd September although the nights were fairly cool. Sugar degrees were high and fermentations rather rapid. General opinion that wines should be good. 30.000 pipes authorised for treating but Shippers only taking half or less at vintage and many farmers have their wines unsold and many fewer prepared to treat for their own account than last year. Many farmers were offering wines below the minimum price. VINTAGE REPORT 1949 Very little rain during the Winter months followed by a dry April which was exceptionally hot. The bud burst was definitely smaller than last year. May was cold which adversely affected the flowering. Drought conditions prevailed during the Summer and there were many thunderstorms from June to September, which did considerable damage. The rain in mid August and early September undoubtedly saved the vintage from being an excessively poor and short one. Grapes not really ripen probably due to lack of rain in Winter and early Spring. The general starting date of the vintage was the 19th September. Sugar degrees were low especially in the Régua area. In spite of comparatively cold weather during the vintage and showers, wines did not take much work particularly from 9.5o downwards. Colour fair but wines generally lacking body, although they should be sound. 26.000 pipes of must were authorised.
VINTAGE REPORT 1950 A dry Winter was followed by a wet Spring. The weather at the time of flowering caused a poor set. Thunderstorms in June and July did some damage in higher areas. There was some loss from mildew amongst those farmers who did not spray in July, which was a wet month. The general date of the vintage was the 25th September, although some places only started on the 1st October. Sugar degrees were average and the wines took a lot of work, particularly in the lower Douro. Weather during the vintage was cool and consequently fermentation temperatures were low. Wines are on the green side with good colour, but rather lack body. They should however improve, and are flavoury. A great demand for white, which was in short supply. VINTAGE REPORT 1951 Good Winter rainfall was followed by a wet Spring. Bud burst was large although berry set was limited by cool and wet weather in May. Grape colouring first appeared in Pinhão on 13th July, which is later than normal. The vintage began generally on 4th October, although some farms started on the 8th. Weather during the vintage was somewhat showery and cool, but there was not sufficient rain to do any harm. Fermentation slow and regular at low temperatures, colour quite good and 1st quality wines should be useful if they grow a bit in body. The wines are on the green side and flavoury. A total amount of 30.000 pipes was authorised. There was a great demand for white wines, but very little was authorised. VINTAGE REPORT 1952 The Winter rainfall from October to March was good with a total of 12.37 inches of which 6 inches fell in November and 3.80 inches fell in March. Bud burst was fair, being only slightly better than last year. May was, however, rather cold and wet (1.77 inches of rain), and mildew did a certain amount of damage. There were bad hailstorms in June and July, practically wiping out the crop in some places, particularly in high areas. Grape colouring was first noticed at Pinhão on July 7th, a week earlier than last year. The general starting date of the vintage was 29th September, but some places only began on the 5th October and they only gained by doing so as the weather during the vintage remained fine though not hot. Fermentations on the whole were slow and musts took a good amount of work. Colour at the vintage looked quite good but grapes were not really ripe and wines were rather thin on the green side. Total authorised was 28.000 pipes and 2.000 in "bloqueio", but many farmers authorised did not treat and it is doubtful that more than 25.000 pipes will be made. Prices ranged from Esc. 1.800$00 to 2.000$00 per pipe. VINTAGE REPORT 1953 A very dry year with a very hot month of August. The weather at the vintage was good, and remained fine and cool throughout, except for a localised thunderstorm in the Pinhão valley on the 3rd October, which lowered sugar readings by half a degree. The vintage started generally on the 24th September and sugar degrees were on the low side, although musts took a lot of work. The minimum price of must decreed by the Casa do Douro was Esc. 2.000$00 per pipe. The price of Casa do Douro brandy was Esc. 14$75 per litre. VINTAGE REPORT 1954 Very dry Winter months followed by a rather dry and cool Spring. Wines flowered late and bud burst was about the same last year, except in the higher areas where it was considerably better. Grapes set well and there was no disease. The vintage started later than last year, and with the exception of one or two farms that started on the 24th September, the general date was the 4th October. Most wines took a lot of work. The quality improved throughout the vintage and those that started later benefited also in quantity as well owing to the cool nights. Sugar degrees were high and the wine should be good, certainly better than the 1952’s or 1953’s. Great lack of water throughout the Douro. The olive crop, which promised to be large, reduced to about half or less owing to lack of water. Minimum price of must was Esc. 2.000$00 per pipe with brandy at 14$75 per litre. The Casa do Douro have not guaranteed to take the farmers wine, so some who have not sold are not making. VINTAGE REPORT 1955 There was a heatwave at the end of April and early May. Rain at the end of May was beneficial for the flowering. July and August were hot, and at the time of the vintage the bunches were in excellent condition. The general starting date for the vintage was on the 26th September, and a shower on the 22nd September did a lot of good. Light rain fell on 2nd and 3rd October but did no harm, and helped cool the temperature. Minimum price 2.000$00 per pipe and total authorised was 30.000 pipes. VINTAGE REPORT 1956 A very wet year with very little hot weather and rainfall from October 1955 to September 1956 was 26.93 inches as against 25.24 inches for the same period the previous year. In addition, 1.51 inches of rain fell between 1st and 15th October during the vintage. This was the cause of a lot of rot particularly in the lower brand. The general starting date was the 8th October, although some farms started on the 5th. Cool wet weather dominated the vintage and sugar degrees were slightly lower than average, with musts taking a lot of work. Wine showing a very bricky colour and need a lot of brandy to bring them to strength. The wines will be dry and below average quality. Total authorised was 37.500 pipes with 1.500 in "bloqueio" for five years. Minimum price of must was raised 100$00 to 2.100$00. VINTAGE REPORT 1957 After a year of irregular weather the vintage started generally on the 23rd September. The wines showed good colour although they were a little green and rather lacking in body. They should, however, prove to be good useful wines and may easily improve. The total authorised was 44.000 pipes and 1.500 in "bloqueio". VINTAGE REPORT 1958 After a dry October 1957 there was fair rainfall from November through to March, and precipitation in the latter month was almost 4 inches. April was cold and there was even some frost in the higher areas, and naturally flowering was late. May was a cold month which resulted in a poor berry set in some areas. June was a cool month with 1.5 inches of rain, although July was warm and the first grape colouring was ahead of last year. There was slight rain in August and the vintage started generally on the 3rd October, although some farms in the hotter areas started on the 29th September. The weather was cold and dull with sporadic rain up till the 5th October, after which it was fine an sunny with cool nights. The musts took a lot of work and sugar degrees were just average. In general the quantity was down by some to 25 to 30%. Skins were thin and wines showed good colour and fair body. Total authorised 30.000 pipes with the price of brandy at 16$50 per litre. Shippers themselves were buying less than last year with more farmers making for their own account. As far as is possible to say at this early date, 1958’s are promising. VINTAGE REPORT 1959 A good Winter rainfall was followed by a cold Spring. Flowering was three weeks later than usual and in the upper areas of the Douro there was a poor berry set, resulting from the cold weather. July and the first half of August were hot, then cloudy and damp weather in the second half of August caused rot to appear on the bunches, even in the finer situations. Because of the fear of the rot increasing, it was decided to start vintaging on the 26th September. Must took a lot of work and showed fair colour though many are inclined to be reddish and are lacking in body and are rather green. A total of 30.000 pipes was authorised and brandy was 16$50 per litre. VINTAGE REPORT 1960 Good rainfall throughout the year and rain fell in every month. Although the month of May was wet, no damage was done to the fruit as the vines were very backward. June was warm and July was hot. There was a good berry set, and then fully mature berries appeared larger than usual. The weather was very hot at the end of August and the first week of September. Although some farms began as early as the 8th September, the general starting date was the 19th. The weather was fine and warm till the 23rd after which it was dull, rainy and cool. The wines took a lot of work and the colour was good. The wines are flavoury, a bit on the green side, but should turn out well. Total authorised was 38.000 pipes and brandy at 16$30 as last year. VINTAGE REPORT 1961 There was good rainfall, which was well distributed throughout the year. Grapes"set" well in the better situations and promised a crop nearly as large as last year. In the higher situatons a rather wet May caused a lot of "non-setting" and crops were very small. Rain in July caused a late attack of mildew on the young leaves, but this caused serious loss only in the case of farmers who had not sprayed their vines beforehand.August was very hot and dry and caused a considerable reduction in yields. The official quantity of must authorised for making into Port was 45.000 pipes, but the quantity made will undoubtedly be far short of this figure as most farmers did not have the amount they were originally authorised. Some places began their Vintage as early as the 4th Septembre,but the most general date was the 17th.Weather during the Vintage was very hot until the 17th when some rain improved matters considerably. After this date wines began to take more work. Sugar contents of musts were higher than last year, the grapes being more ripe. The colour was good and wines seemed rather more flavoury than last year. At this stage it is far too early to predict how the wines will develop, but there seems to be no reason why some excellent wines should not be made. Prices of musts were higher than last year and the cost of Douro Brandy was up by over 9%.Southern Brandy was also more expensive than last year. VINTAGE REPORT 1962 There was good rainfall during the Winter. Although there was very little during the Spring and early Summer. July, August and the first half of September were very hot. Flowering was late, as was the first colouring of the fruit, which occurred in Pinhão on the 10th July, a fortnight later than last year. There was little wind during the Summer months, which probably accounted for the fact that the grapes were not dried up. Unfortunately, rain did not fall at the end of August and the vintage started earlier than it should have done. The vintage started generally on the 24th September. The grapes were decidedly green, although the bunches were clean and free from disease. Although colour was quite good, the sugar graduations were low and the wines seemed to lack body. There was very few raisining and yields were high in all areas. VINTAGE REPORT 1963 A cold Winter was followed by a wet Spring. The Christmas day temperature of -4o C was one of the lowest for many years, and frost did a certain amount of damage to fruit trees. Flowering was very late and the first colouring appeared on grapes in Pinhão on the 15th July, the latest since 1946. Apart from two periods of hot weather in July and August, the Summer was cool and by the middle of September the grapes were decidedly green and very backward - even in comparison to 1962. An inch and a half of rain towards the end of September helped maturation which was further enhanced by hot weather that continued till the middle of October. The vintage started generally in the valleys on the 14th October and in the upper regions on the 10th or later. At the start of the vintage, grapes were practically ripe, although stalks were green. Sugar degrees were fairly high and the musts took a lot of work, which was aided by low fermentation temperatures (25-26o). There was a certain amount of rot in the lower Douro, although this had generally dried up by the time vintaging started in this area on the 7th October. The musts had very good colour and were flavoury. As the vintage progressed they became more "jammy" and colour deepened. The resulting wines should be of good quality, and have plenty of body. Acidifies were low generally and musts necessitated addition of tartaric acid. Yields in the valleys were higher than last year, although by the time the upper areas had started grapes were beginning to shrink, yielding in these districts up to 20% less than last year. VINTAGE REPORT 1964 There was a good Winter rainfall and the cold Spring prolonged until the end of May, by which time the grapes were three weeks behind. However, very hot weather in June brought on maturation and the first colouring of the fruit was at the same date as last year. The vintage started generally on the 1st October, and graduations tended to be on the low side. Fermentations were slow although the colour was not very deep and tended to be reddish. Wines seem to lack body although the grapes tasted sweeter than last year. VINTAGE REPORT 1965 A dry Winter and a wet Spring was followed by a hot dry Summer. Due to the lack of rain the grapes had little juice. Although some firms started as early as the 15th September, the general date was 27th September. Rain started falling on the 24th September and fell sporadically throughout the vintage, but it did more good than harm. Sugar graduations were generally on the low side, although colour was good. All the wines were slightly on the green side, although had fair body. VINTAGE REPORT 1966 The Winter of 1965/6 was very wet, and generally rather warm. The Summer was very hot and dry, the month of May being one of the hottest on record. There was a good berry set in all districts, and the first colouring of the grapes in Pinhão was on the 7th July, five days later than last year. The vines were very backward till early September when a few days of extremely hot weather brought the fruit on considerably. The vintage started generally on the 26th September. The grapes were fully ripe and sugar degrees were fairly high, 13o being fairly common. Rain from the 30th September was beneficial to the grapes and helped to keep fermentation temperatures down. The musts took a lot of work and samples examined during the first week of the vintage had very deep colour. Bunches were healthy and completely free of disease, although there were some desiccated grapes from the intense heat of early September. VINTAGE REPORT 1967 Winter rainfall, from October to March was 13.69 inches which was slightly less than the average. It was a set Spring with 2.54 inches of rain in May which prejudiced the flowering and the berry set was poor. July, August and September were hot with almost no rain falling. The vintage started generally on the 26th September and the weather remained good throughout. Sugar graduations were normal and showed slight increases towards the end of the vintage. Musts were slightly green and unripe, but had a lot of colour and the wines should develop well. VINTAGE REPORT 1968 The Winter of 1967/8 was warm and dry with a little rain in the early Spring. A very hot month of June caused some desiccation in all districts. Whilst one or two farms started on the 23rd September, the general date was the 30th September, although the last of our farms to start was at Valdigem on the 14th October. With the exception of one or two light showers and cloudy days, the weather remained sunny with cool nights throughout the vintage. This was of maximum benefit to the grapes which, hitherto, had been very backward. Sugar degrees varied considerably from 9o in a lower Douro farm to a high of 15o also at a lower Douro farm. In the upper Douro graduations tended to be slightly below the average for this area, which is 13o. Stalks were fairly green and the grape skins were thick and yields were less than the previous year. Musts took even more work than last year due mainly to the cool nights. Bunches in the better areas were free from disease although by the time the vintage had started in the lower Douro a certain amount of rot was evident. The total authorised was 60.000 pipes. VINTAGE REPORT 1969 The Winter rainfall from October to March of 26 inches was one of the highest on record. July and August were hot, but rain before the vintage in September caused rot to appear on some bunches. Maturation of the fruit was delayed by the cool early Summer and consequently the vintage did not start generally until the 2nd October. Even in the best areas a rigorous selection of bunches had to be made and the rotten fruit cast aside. Consequently some wine was made with good colour and fruit characteristics, but in general it was a poor vintage. VINTAGE REPORT 1970 Winter rainfall from October to March was 16.78 inches which was slightly above average. A very dry Spring followed by rain in May and June. From July through to October almost no rain fell and the vintage was made under ideal conditions. Picking started generally on the 21st September and bunches were in perfect condition and completely free from disease. Sunny days and cool nights resulted in musts with tremendous depth of colour that took a lot of work. Yields were high and it is expected that the new wines will be of a high quality. VINTAGE REPORT 1971 A slightly below average Winter rainfall of 13.12 inches was recorded at Pinhão. Rainfall from April to July was 10.44 inches and the weather remained cool during this period. Because of the bad weather conditions there was a poor berry set and in June and July spraying against fungicide diseases was constant. August and September were dry months although they were also cooler than is normal. The vintage started generally on the 15th October, which was the latest starting date since 1909. Even by this late date maturation had not been completed and the fruit was unripe at the time of harvesting. The musts had very little colour and were of very poor quality. It is not expected that these wines will be kept for ageing. VINTAGE REPORT 1972 A cold and wet Winter in the Douro was followed by a dry Spring and a hot Summer with little rain. Berry set was to low and this fact, coupled with lack of rain in the Spring and early Summer, resulted in disappointing yields. The vintage started generally on the 25th September. Sugar graduations on the whole were lower than average, and wet weather during the vintage dropped sugar degrees even further. At the start of the vintage the grapes were sound and free from disease although due to the wet weather, sporadic rot appeared towards the end of the vintage. Fermentation temperatures were low and musts took a considerable amount of work, thereby extracting a greater degree of colour. Although the young wines are slightly green and lacking in sugar, they do have considerable colour. The price of must rose generally by 20% but brandy prices remained the same as in 1971. The total amount authorised was 80.000 pipes as against 60.000 pipes last year, but in spite of the increase there was a keen demand by shippers. The price differential between the lower Douro and the best musts in the upper Douro is standing at around 60%, which is now a true evaluation of the difference in quality between these two areas.
VINTAGE REPORT 1973 The Winter of 1972/3 was very cold but precipitation was low. However, the Spring was wet and this was followed by a very hot Summer with sporadic rainfall. The vintage started generally on the 23rd September, when the bunches, although perfectly sound and free from disease, were by no means ripe. As was to be expected, sugar graduations were on the low side, averaging 11.5o. Musts took plenty of work and colour at the vintage looked very promising, although the young wines were lacking in body and structure. The total authorised was 100.000 pipes and the price of brandy increased to Esc. 10.000 per pipe. Demand for wine by shippers was intense and the final price paid for musts would well be over 200% on last years price. The new winery at Salgueiral made 2.400 pipes and Cruzeiro made 511, although only 22 from the Quinta. VINTAGE REPORT 1974 Winter rainfall, October to March was 13.98 inches at Pinhão, slightly less than average. Over 3 inches of rain fell in June which caused some sporadic outbreaks of mildew in the lower Douro. July, August, September and October were dry with almost no rain. The general starting date of the vintage, which was late, was the 5th October and weather conditions for the vintage were ideal with sunny days and cool nights. Bunches were clean and free from disease but sugar graduations were low ad musts were decidedly green. The young wines had good colour and body although were lacking in bouquet. VINTAGE REPORT 1975 A wet Winter was followed by a long dry Summer with almost no rain with the exception of a heavy thunderstorm in May. Maturation of the fruit was slow and by the middle of September the grapes were far from ripe. In the last four days of September over three inches of rain fell, and this was followed by a period of warm and sunny weather so that by the tine the vintage started generally on the 6th October maturation was almost fully complete. Sugar graduations were slightly above average both in the lower and the upper Douro and readings of 13o and 14o were not uncommon. Fermentations were slow, lagares (treading tanks) taking about 30 hours of work, and consequently the musts have considerable colour. Due to the September rain yields were generally higher than had been expected. Rain at the end of the vintage tended to reduce slightly the sugar content of the last lagares. The total authorised was 80.000 pipes with brandy at Esc. 21.640$00 per pipe. The minimum price for Grade A vineyards was reduced from Esc. 12.000$00 in 1974 to Esc. 10.000$00 in 1975. In the lower Douro there were few graduations below 12o and the musts had good colour. Comment on 9th July 1976: "The 1975 wines were tasted and in general have a lot of quality and good breeding on the nose, but a little lacking in body." VINTAGE REPORT 1976 An extremely dry Winter was followed by a hot Summer in almost drought conditions. Springs and wells which have always given water dried up for the first time in living memory. There has not been a wet Winter since 1972 and the continued drought is now starting to affect the vines and some of the older ones did not survive the Summer. Rain started to fall in late August and September was cool with light rain.The vintage started generally on 23rd September and the bunches were ripe and completely free from disease. Graduations were high in both the upper and the lower Douro,and cool temperatures enhanced slow fermentations. Because of the drought quantities were down by over 30% on last year. By the 29th September the continual rain started a certain amount of rot, mainly in the lower Douro. Prices for Grade A/B vineyards was Esc. 13500&00 per pipe. VINTAGE REPORT 1977 The Winter of 1976/7 was one of the wettest on record, with almost 25 inches of rain falling between October and March, and after three years of drought this rain was very welcome. A severe frost on the 12th May did a lot of damage in the higher areas of the Douro. Temperatures in the Spring and Summer were lower than normal which affected maturation. Fortunately, September was an extremely hot month with temperatures in the 30’s, and on the 28th September picking started at Terrafeita and Cruzeiro. The general date, however, for starting in the valleys was 1st October. Bunches were clean and the grapes completely free of disease. Graduations, however, were on the low side varying from 10.5o to 12o , but fixed acidifies were generally high. The vintage started in fairly hot weather and the first lagares at Cruzeiro went off very quickly. However, after 2nd October the air temperature dropped considerably and musts started taking a lot of work. Three days of rain from 5th to 8th October lowered graduations but there was no sign of rot. There was further rain on Monday 18th October which also affected graduations. The higher areas started generally on 10th October but some growers only started on the 18th with still no signs of rot on the bunches. Yields in the valleys were generally on the high side as the skins were thin. The young wines appear to be very promising and have excellent colour. It was decided this year for the first time to brandy the young wines up to 19o immediately after the vintage. Minimum prices for Grade A/B musts were 13.500$00 per pipe, and the total authorised was 100.000 pipes. VINTAGE REPORT 1978 The Winter months from October 1977 to March 1978 were the wettest for many years. Flowering was good, but the berry set in some areas was slightly affected by cold, wet weather in May. A long hot Summer was followed by a little light rain in September. Bunches at harvest time were well formed and completely free from disease. The vintage started generally on the 28th September, and as expected, yields were low, contributing to the concentration of the musts. Warm days followed by cool nights produced generally slow fermentations. The relatively long maceration times produced wines of excellent depth of colour an intensity of aroma, although with slightly less body than those made the previous year. VINTAGE REPORT 1979 The period from October 1978 to March 1979 was relatively wet. Spring weather was ideal and the berry set excellent. A very hot Summer followed and on the 16th September rainfall contributed to a comparatively high yield at the vintage, which started in most places on the 24th September. Picking conditions were excellent and the hot dry weather continued until the second October, by which time the first class wines were under cover. Bunches were healthy and sugar readings average, with high densities recorded in some top quality areas. Fermentation times were normal. Wines generally did not have the concentration of those made during the previous two years, but they were on the whole sound and well balanced, the tope grade vineyards having produced elegant wines which have aged remarkably well. VINTAGE REPORT 1980 The Winter of 1979/80 was one of the driest on record. A cool Spring delayed flowering slightly and there was localised berry failure. Summer was warm and dry. Rainfall on the 19th and 20th September was followed by dry conditions, turning to intense heat at the start of the vintage on the 29th September. Temperatures fell again to normal levels on the 2nd October. Weather remained generally dry and picking conditions excellent for the duration of the vintage. Grapes were free from disease and sugar levels were high but not excessive. Fermentation times were initially on the short side, owing to the heat, but in spite of this musts showed magnificent intensity of colour and aroma with remarkable body and concentration. In areas which had suffered some berry failure in the Spring, yields were low and the wines powerful and long lasting. VINTAGE REPORT 1981 Very little rain fell during the year, a dry Spring being followed by a particularly hot, dry Summer. Owing to the arid conditions the grapes contained very little juice and yields were consequently amongst the lowest on record. Picking began generally on the 21st September. Maceration times were generally very satisfactory and the must showed excellent colour and body. Some exceptionally fine, concentrated wines were made during the first few years of the vintage particularly in the low lying top quality vineyards where picking started early. Vineyards on higher ground, which began harvesting later, were not so fortunate, as heavy rainfall marred what would otherwise have been a vintage of exceptional quality. VINTAGE REPORT 1982 The drought that had affected the previous years crop continued throughout 1982 and by early September only 6.75 inches of rain had fallen that year at Pinhão, in the heart of the upper Douro region. However what little rain there was fell at the most appropriate times, flowering and budset being above the mean, and the resulting crop, although not abundant, was only a little below average size. The long hot Summer was responsible for the early maturation of the fruit, and the vintage started generally on the 13th September, with two vineyards in the group beginning on the 8th September. Fruit was generally healthy with extremely tight clusters. Sugar levels were exceptionally high. Hot temperatures early in the vintage led to some rapid fermentations, but wines nevertheless all showed extremely good colour, firm structure and an unusually powerful and fragrant aroma. VINTAGE REPORT 1983 The Winter of 1982/3 was marked by extreme cold weather in February, when snow fell in Pinhão for the first time in 20 years. Winter rainfall was once again low. However, heavy rain in the Spring, particularly during May, resulted in a poor bud set. July was hot and dry, but a wet month of August produced an exceptionally backward crop, and the forecasts were pessimistic. However, a late Summer materialised in September and the average daily temperature was almost five degrees Centigrade higher than the average over the previous ten years. The fruit ripened quickly and maturation was practically complete by the end of September. Picking started on the 3rd October and conditions were ideal for the rest of the vintage. Sugar degrees were above average almost everywhere. Colour extraction was extremely satisfactory and winemakers notes at the time record that the musts were exceptionally aromatic. As a result the quality of the wines produced in both the upper and lower Douro far exceeded earlier expectations and very fine, big wines were produced throughout the region, although in smaller quantities than in 1982. VINTAGE REPORT 1984 After three years of low rainfall the 1983/4 Winter was wet, cold and humid; this weather pattern continued well into the Spring of 1984 and the vines were considerably behind hand in their flowering and general growth. The weather continued in this fashion with some sunny spells until late Summer, and, at that time, mid August, the general opinion was that 1984 could hardly be a year of great expectations from a quality point of view. However, the late Summer and early Autumn, indeed right up to the beginning of the Vintage in late September, the weather completely changed, and the Douro region was blessed with exceptional hot and sunny weather, which completely altered the picture. The Vintage began under very favourable conditions. The bunches of grapes were well formed, almost free of any disease, although a little lacking in natural sugar content. In mid Vintage the Douro, with the rest of Portugal, suffered cyclonic weather for 3 days; this stopped the picking and lowered the sugar readings for a while. The weather then completely cleared and the Vintage continued under ideal conditions, warm sunny days followed by cool dry nights. VINTAGE REPORT 1985 The Winter of 1984/5 was cold and wet, and between the 7th and 15th January the night temperature at Pinhão was below freezing. This cold wet weather continued into the Spring and bud burst came in early April. Berry set was above average, and the rain in April was extremely beneficial. There was no rain at all in the months of July and August which were extremely hot. The heat continued until the middle of September, only being broken by a thunderstorm followed by three hours of rain on 7th September. The rain was very welcome as it swelled the grapes and the heat that followed ensured that the fruit was kept free of any fungus diseases. Due to very careful field analytical studies on the evolution of the maturation of the fruit, Fonseca decided to start picking before most of the other Shippers and were able to get all their first class grapes in under ideal conditions before the rain which fell later in the month. Conditions for fermentation were ideal with war days and cool nights which ensured fairly low temperatures resulting in must of exceptional colour and weight. The resulting wines have developed in accordance with our expectations and we are fully confident that the Fonseca 1985 Vintage Port will meet the extremely high standards that connoisseurs have come to expect from this famous name in past years.
VINTAGE REPORT 1986 The total rainfall in the winter of 1985/86 and the spring of 1986 was 475 mm(17.99 inches) which was slightly less then last year, but nevertheless satisfactory.There were no extremes of temperatures during the winter, although the cold weather continued until the middle of May. A heavy thunderstorm on the 25th May caused considerable damage in the Alijó/Sabrosa area, and did slight damage to young shoots in certain top quality areas. Due to the cool spring plant growth was delayed and it was not until early May that plants started to emerge from their semi-dormant condition. In the second half of May temperatures rose considerably and shoot growth was extremely rapid. Luckily the weather remained fine during this period with dry Easterly winds coming from Spain. Flowering in the valleys started in the last week of May and continued in ideal conditions until the first week of June. Due to the extremely favourable climatic conditions the berry set was excellent and cropping was fairly heavy.The months of June and July were extremely hot with almost no rain. August, however, was cooler than normal and by the beginning of September the fruit was slightly backward in maturation.Hot weather in early September hastened maturation, but on the 11th there was thunder followed by rain which continued sporadically until the 23rd September. Due to these wet and humid conditions a small amount of rot appeared on the bunches mainly in the lower Douro.The vintage started generally on the 25th September in the upper Douro and on the 1st October in the lower Douro. The weather changed for the better on the 24th September and remained sunny and warm during the day and cool at night for the remainder of the vintage.At the start of the vintage sugar graduations were low but with the start of the warm weather rose considerably and 12 to 13º were normal. Acidity levels were excellent and the musts were well balanced.Fermentations were long due to the cool nights and colour extractions were excellent. It is fair to say that 1986 turned out to be much better than had earlier been envisaged.The total amount of must allowed to be fortified is 107.500 pipes as against 95.000 in 1985. Prices of grapes and must have risen by 12% and fortifying spirit by 6%.Winter rainfall-November to March-totalled 4431/m2 (17.45 inches) the highest since 1979.A prolonged cold spell from 7th to 15th January, when the temperature in Pinhão went down to 2ºC below freezing every night, was beneficial for the vineyards in that it killed off a number of harmful insects.The month of April was cold and wet, stimulating root stock growth as well as this years graftings. Due to the cold weather, bud burst was at the end of March and early April. Rain in April was helpful for the flowering which took place at the end of May and consequently the berry set is above average.In the early morning of 31st May there was a bad thunderstorm in the Pinhão valley which did considerable damage to leaves and the young shoots. July and August were hot and no rain fell in the upper Douro. The first fortnight of September was extremely hot and maturation accelerated considerably during this period.The Vintage started generally on the 23rd September, although the most advanced areas started on the 18th. A three hour rainfall after a thunderstorm on September 7th helped a lot in swelling the fruit and bringing it to maturity. Bunches were healthy and completely free from disease. Quantities were above average in spite of some raisining in the hotter areas. Apart from one light of heavy rain the weather remained dry for the entire vintage, which is unusual. For most of the vintage the weather was extremely hot and fermentation temperatures tended to be high. As in 1983 the musts had a very powerful aroma and the young wines have very good colour and should be promising. 5 VINTAGE REPORT 1987 Winter rainfall, November to March totalled 7.14 inches (18.13 cm) which was very low although cold weather in January was beneficial in killing off caterpillar larvae and other harmful insects in the soil. A warm, dry Spring hastened the growth of the vines, and flowering in the valleys started in early May. The month of May was fairly humid causing outbreaks of mildew and oidium. Fruiting was abundant and berry set took place in good conditions. Summer started early with intense heat in June, July and early August. A little rain that fell in the last three days of August was extremely beneficial to the fruit. The vintage started generally on 16th September in extremely hot weather, which continued until 22nd September. Consequently most temperatures were high and colour extraction was excellent, although fermentations were fairly rapid. Because of the intense heat, orders were given on our Company Estates to pick only in the early afternoon, thus avoiding fruit being sent to the Wineries at high temperature. When picking started on 16th September the vines were already suffering from considerable hydric stress and were subsisting on their own fruit. Consequently the berries were small and wrinkled. There was considerable unevenness in the maturation of the fruit even on the same plant with the more exposed grapes looking like currants while the more protected fruit was only just ripe. As was to be expected, sugar readings were extremely high, 13+ being the average. It was evident that the PH’s would be alkalinic and considerable correction with tartaric acid was necessary to keep the musts well balanced. On the 23rd September the weather broke, and this was not expected as the September moon coincided with the first day of the equinox. From this date to the 26th over 1 inch of rain fell and picking was interrupted. Sugar graduations fell by 1o although the cooler weather was beneficial due to the fall in the air temperature. Fortunately, windy weather after the rain helped by the fruit and there was no evidence at this stage of rot. From the 27th September to 1st October there was only sporadic rain and the Vintage continued under generally favourable conditions. The water was quickly absorbed by the plant and yields which were easier expected to be low, exceeded all expectations, increasing on average by 17% over 1986. By early October the valley farms, that produce the top quality Ports, were finishing. The weather during the first six days of October was uncertain, with cool temperatures and periods of rain. It is too early at this stage to predict the quality of the 1987 Ports. On tasting several samples of the freshly made Ports from the Grade A vineyards the results are encouraging. Colour is, on the whole, excellent, and the wines have considerable flavour and more than a few samples have the much coveted "china tea" rose. VINTAGE REPORT 1988 A warm wet winter was followed by a dry period in the early Spring. No rain at all fell in the Upper Douro in March, and the average temperature was 20.47ºC, which was unseasonably high for the time of the year. The total rainfall in the agricultural year of 1987/88 was 603 mm in the Upper Douro, compared to an average of some 650 mm. However, almost half, 280 mm fell between mid April and early July. No rain fell in August, and the second half of this month and the first week of September were extremely hot, the average temperature for these two months being just under 27ºC.Due to the warm, wet Spring, a number of fungus diseases developed which caused serious damage to the crop in spite of constant treatment. Firstly, some of the flowers were affected by Botrytis, or rot, which was one of the causes of a bad berry set, and secondly, when the berries were pea size there were unavoidable outbreaks of mildew. Constant rain during the Spring and early Summer, combined with fairly high temperatures, created ideal conditions for the spreading of the fungus spores. However, hot weather in August resulted in the desiccation of the affected berries which were eventually cut off the bunches during harvesting.The vintage started generally on the 26th September, although some Quietness in the hotter valleys started on the22nd. Weather conditions were ideal with warm, sunny days and cool nights, and no rain at all fell during the harvesting.Due to the very hot weather prior to the Vintage there was considerable dehydration of the juice which resulted in more concentrated musts with good flavour and colour. Due to lower than average fermentation temperatures, musts took a considerable amount of work, thereby giving time for a better colour extraction. PH levels were low and musts needed little correction and the young wines are very well balanced.Before and during the Vintage regular tastings were held of the grape juice of the top six varieties, and it is significant that the peak of maturity varied from the Touriga Francesa, which reached its peak in the third week of September, to the Tinto Cão which only peaked in the second week of October. This serves to emphasis the importance of batch planting and the vinification of each variety on reaching its desired level of ripeness.Whilst Shippers are generally pleased with the quality of the young wines, the same cannot be said about the quantity of wine produced. Bad berry set, the ravages of fungal diseases and dehydration of the juice all took their tool in the final yields which were nothing short of disastrous. The worst area to suffer was the Douro Superior where yields were generally down by over 50%. The Baixo Corgo area around Regua was also badly hit, and it is fair to say that in general yields were down over the five year average, by between 30 and 40%. It is understood that the government is opening lines of credit for the farmers who are most affected.The total quantity authorised by the Port Wine Institute to convert into Port was 140.000 pipes, the largest amount in history, and it is indeed ironic that probably under 100.000 pipes will be manifested by buyers and farmers in November. The official minimum price for Grade A grapes was Esc.123$30 per Kilo, although it is obvious that in view of the shortage of fruit prices will harden considerably. There is also considerable danger of an exploration of the situation and prices of 1988 Ports have already rocketed. It is to be hoped that Shippers keep calm as any large increases in F.O.B.prices would be disastrous for most export markets. VINTAGE REPORT 1989 The Winter of 1990/1 was exceptionally dry, with almost no rain falling at all in December and January. Two short spells of intense cold were welcomed in keeping down the insect population. Budburst was early, but a cold wet Spring delayed flowering, and although this took place in inclement conditions, berry set was satisfactory. The month of May was extremely wet with a recorded rainfall of over 80 mm. During the month of June the Douro valley was hit by some extremely severe thunderstorms which did a lot of localised damage. On the 14th and 15th June in the Rio Torto area, 60 mm of rain fell in these two days followed by severe hail. The heat came in late July and August, the thermometer being over 40o C for several days running. By the end of August the grapes were beginning to dry and this affected their final maturation. Shippers therefore decided to start the vintage early and the general date was the 8th September. Whilst the Taylor/Fonseca Group had decided to start on the 11th, rainfall on Friday 8th prompted them to postpone picking till the 18th. This was a wise decision as the fruit then completed its maturation and the PH levels had fallen, and the sugar degrees rose slightly. 1989 was characterised by the fact that not one drop of rain fell during the vintage, which is a rare occurrence. The fruit was in excellent condition and completely devoid of any disease. In the early stages fermentations were rapid and colour extraction was poor, although fermentation temperatures were not particularly high. However, as the vintage progressed fermentations took longer and consequently the musts were much darker. Sugar degrees were never particularly high and after the rain rose less than expected. PH levels were on the high side although they did drop towards the end of the vintage. It is expected that the quality overall will be good, with a small percentage of top class wine. The total amount authorised to be made into Port by the Casa do Douro was 145,000 pipes of must, but it is doubtful that this amount was made. VINTAGE REPORT 1990 The Winter of 1989/90 was extremely wet and as a result there was considerable flooding in the Douro valley towards the end of December. Rainfall in the Winter period was 482 litres per square metre, most of which fell in December and January. Almost no cold weather was experienced during the Winter. Budding took place in the second week of March, and with the exception of a few days rain in April, the weather was dry in the Spring. This favoured the flowering which started in the second week of May and consequently the set was excellent. Humid conditions of June, with sporadic rainfall caused a slight outbreak of Oidium (Powdery Mildew) in all areas of the Douro, but due to early treatment and the hot weather that came later, this illness did not spread. At the end of June severe hailstorms did localised damage to some of the crops in the Sabrosa district of the upper Douro. The weather in July was excessively hot and 50o were recorded in Pinhão for three successive days, from the 17th to the 20th July. The heat continued in August and by the middle of the month, in hotter areas, the plants were suffering from hydric stress to the extent that maturation was halted. On the 22nd August, there was a little rain throughout the Douro which did a lot of good and helped swell the grapes. The vintage started generally on the 17th September, and varietals such as Touriga Nacional were giving sugar levels at over 14o. For the first few days, temperatures were in the mid thirties and those winemakers who did not have cooling systems would have had difficulties in controlling the temperature of the musts. On the evening of the 19th September, which coincided with the change of moon, there was a violent thunderstorm in the Upper Douro which was accompanied by very strong winds and heavy rain. The next day was hot and dry and the fruit consequently was little affected, although the sugar levels went down slightly. Acidifies on the whole were fairly low and musts were well balanced. Due to the continuing heat, cooling was extensively used. Bunches were sound and free of disease and yields were exceptionally high. On the 27th and 28th September there was extremely heavy rain all over the Douro which effected the sugar levels. However, this was the last rain during the vintage. Outdoor temperatures dropped by around 4o and, as a result, fermentations were taking longer with good colour extraction. Due to inexcusable delays in the delivery of the fortifying spirit, musts were not fully fortified and were corrected towards the end of the vintage when supplies of spirit became more readily available. This is the first time within the memory of most Shippers that there has been a shortage of spirit during the vintage, which is supplied by the state. Whilst it is still too early to comment on the quality of the 1990 wines, it is fair to say that some of the wines will be of extremely high quality, but the majority will be closer to average. It was a year of challenge for the winemakers who had to work in very adverse climatic conditions. However, the surprise of 1990 was the extremely high yield which nobody had forecasted and as a result all available storage space in the Douro has been taken up. The total amount authorised to be made into Port was reduced by just over 18% from 140,000 pipes to 115,000 pipes, whilst the minimum prices rose by 15%. The authorisation on yield was also reduced from 600 litres to 550 litres per 1,000 vines in Category A vineyards. VINTAGE REPORT 1991 The Winter of 1990/1 was generally dry until early January, when there was heavy rain until March. The Winter was not cold and rainfall was above average. April was also wet and flowering took place in May in warm, dry weather. The Summer was hot and dry and the flower set was excellent, resulting in a lot of fruit on the vines. There were no outbreaks of mildew or oidium, except for the odd isolated case, and antifungal spraying only took place three times in the Summer. Due to the lack of rain, the grapes were unbalanced and showed high acid levels until early September. Rain in the second week brought acid levels down and the bunches reached a level of balanced maturity by the time picking started on the 23rd September. The tremendous heat of the week before had passed and picking took place in seasonal weather. Warm days and cool nights ensured long fermentations with excellent colour extraction. Sugar levels were above normal and, indeed, continued to rise during the course of the vintage. Rain fell on the 29th September but, due to the dryness of the soil, it did not enter into the root system and there was no colour dilution. Picking resumed on the 30th September and the vintage progressed under textbook conditions. It remains to be seen how the young wines will develop during the forthcoming Winter months, but at this stage they look very promising. VINTAGE REPORT 1992 The Winter of 1991/2 was unseasonably dry with the exception of a short rainy spell immediately following the 1991 Vintage. In general the weather was cool intermitted by some very cold spells. The drought continued into the Spring, light rain falling only in April and May. Flowering was earlier than usual starting in the second week of May, and the warm weather towards the end of the month ensured a good berry set. A few days of rain in June was extremely beneficial to the crop, although the humid weather caused isolated attacks of Oidium (Powdery Mildew) to appear in some areas. The intense heat of Summer was alleviated by the occasional thundery shower which helped by two days of heavy rain that fell at the end of August. The new moon on the 26th September brought further rain which was essential for the final maturation of the crop. However, in spite of the sporadic rain the vines were suffering from hydric stress as a result of the long hot Summer which caused unhomogeneous ripening in some bunches. Whilst Shippers and Co-operatives started generally on the 21st September, the Taylor/Fonseca group did not start till the 28th when the fruit was fully mature. As a result sugar graduations were above normal and colour extraction was enhanced by the ripeness of the fruit. Whilst the red grapes were healthy and free of disease, there was a fair amount of Botrytis noticeable on the white grapes, and care had to be taken in the vineyard cutting out the rot. 1992 was a particularly good year for Tinta Barroca, a variety grown on the cooler slopes. Acidity levels were well balanced and this factor combined with high sugar levels and excellent colour extraction resulted in musts of very high quality. The weather during the vintage was ideal for winemaking with warm days and cool nights, and musts took a considerable amount of work. With two years of drought it was expected that yields would be considerably lower than last year, but on the Taylor and Fonseca Estates yields were generally at the same level as 1991, and in some cases higher. As a direct result of the high sugar readings, less fortifying spirit than usual was used, resulting in more concentrated wines. Whilst it is still far too early to predict how the 1992 Ports will develop, the first signs are of wines with a high colour concentration and with a lot of flavour which bodes well for the future.
VINTAGE REPORT 1993 Apart from a spell of wet weather in late October, the Winter of 1992/93 was cool and dry. Bud burst in April was regular but heavy rainfall in April and May seriously affected flowering. In particular that of the Touriga Nacional. June and July were hot, and rapid growth took place in the vineyards, but even so by early August the fruit was almost a month behind 1992. The second half of August was unseasonably cold, further hindering maturation. The new moon in mid September came in with thunder and rain, forecasting a wet month ahead. Heavy rain in early September had helped maturation, but more rain in the third week started to be prejudicial and some rot appeared in the Lower Corgo district. Luckily, the last week of September was warm and sunny, finally bringing the fruit to maturity. The vintage started generally between the 30th September and the 4th October. The rain started again on the 1st October, and apart from a few bright intervals has rained every day since. Such a wet vintage is unusual in the Douro and has not been experienced for many years. During the first week of vintage rot (pourriture gris) spread rapidly to the Upper Corgo and particularly affected qualities such as Tinta Amarela and Tinta Roriz. On the Companies’ own vineyards careful cutting out of the afflicted bunches took place in the vineyard, and again on the reception of the grapes at the Wineries. In spite of the heavy and continued rain, sugar levels remained surprisingly high considering the berries were completely saturated with water. Fermentations were sustained by cool temperatures and the colour in the ‘lagares’ was good on the whole, although it is feared that a considerable amount of colour will be lost in the first racking. At the time of writing, 8th October, the forecast is for rain until the next moon on the 15th. Only around one third of the crop is in and the continuing rain will mean further rot as well as the loss of individual berries that fall to the ground. A total of 90,000 pipes of must has been authorised to be made into Port by the Casa do Douro, but should the bad weather continue it is doubtful that even this small amount will eventually be made. 1993 will go down in history, together with 1956 and 1979, as being one of the wettest vintages on record. Had it not been for the rain during the harvest, there is no doubt that 1993 would have produced a number of exceptionally fine Ports.
VINTAGE REPORT 1995 The Winter of 1994/5 was characterised by a fairly heavy rainfall, but the temperatures were higher than normal and no cold weather was experienced. February was a dry month and the early Spring was unseasonably hot. As a result, budding was earlier than normal, and by the middle of April the vines were showing good growth. Cold weather came at the end of April and there was severe frost damage in the higher regions of the Douro, although the valleys were unaffected. Conditions for flowering in May were near perfect, and once the flowers had set it was obvious that baring fungal damage, the crop would be larger than usual. A cool early Summer was followed by very high temperatures in August and by the end of the month there was some shrinkage in the grapes, although they were not fully ripe. Consequently, some Shippers started picking in the last week of August which was far too early. Rain fell in the Douro on the 5th and 7th September and this brought on the grapes to their final ripeness. Our general starting date was on Monday 11th September. Conditions were perfect with sunny days and cool nights, and the fruit was in pristine condition. Apart from a day of rain on 19th September, the weather remained fine for the entire vintage. The two outstanding features of the 1995 vintage were the exceptionally high sugar readings and the super abundant crop. Sugar readings were the highest in my forty years of winemaking with several readings of 15o Baumé. Yields were also much higher than expected which was largely due to the precipitation in early September. Colour extraction was excellent and the "lagares" took plenty of work. The musts were flowering and had good fruit. It is expected that the young wines should grow considerably in the Winter. An abundant vintage in quantity, and excellent in quality, the young wines have a promising future. VINTAGE REPORT 1996 The viticultural season began with a very wet winter, causing the most significant flooding since 1989. January and February were colder than normal resulting in a late bud burst between 20-25th March. Cool, wet conditions continued until just prior to flowering on 25th May. Flowering took place in hot weather and, when combined with the large number of inflorescences at bud burst, resulted in the largest potential yields since 1990. During August the weather was cool due to the effect of Atlantic sea breezes which do not usually reach the Douro Valley. Ripening was uneven and by early September the grapes were tasting green and lacking in flavour. The weekend of the 7th-8th September saw almost a full inch of rain fall at Pinhão which was followed by a further week of rain between the 16th and 21st September. The prospect of rain caused many people to start picking, for those not picking the concern was that the large, compact bunches had the potential for serious bunch rot. However, strong winds and hot weather, between 27-30th followed which dried out the bunches and allowed the grapes to fully ripen. This was reflected in a marked improvement in all ports produced from 29th September onwards. When the wines are first evaluated in January I believe there will be some pleasant surprises for those few who were patient enough to delay the vintage. The grapes remained sound up to the end of vintage, and together with a rain free vintage we are going to have a large quantity of good blending wines, with some parcels of above average quality. Those produced after the 29th September showed good concentration and depth of flavour. The Fonseca and Taylor Quintas started picking between the 26th and 28th of September, and finished on the 16th of October. VINTAGE REPORT 1997 The Winter (after the snowfalls of the 7th January) and the Spring of this year were warm and dry. There was no rain between the 7th of January and the 19th of April on any of our quintas. The higher than normal temperatures in February and March brought on an early budburst and the flowering occurred 5 weeks earlier than normal (normally end of May or the beginning of June). The berry set for all grade A vineyards was very good. Up to the time of flowering no sprays were applied to the vineyards as the hot and dry weather did not allow for the development of disease (mildew and oidium).From flowering up to September we had frequent rain showers which enabled the vines to recover their vegetation, as well as ensuring a complete ripening of the berries. The initial advance to the season was lost to a more gradual ripening period with the picking in our quintas not starting until after the 18th of September. The yields for A grade vineyards, although 30% less than last year, were of average level in most vineyards, with only the very old vineyards suffering a big loss in production. The weather during the vintage was very hot with maximum temperatures on most days ranging between 30-35o C. As a result the fermentation temperatures were high and an extra effort was required to prolong the fermentations. The high quality of the ports was evident from the start by the way the spirit integrated immediately with the fruit, and by the attractive aromas on the nose. The young ports also show a strong colour and structure on the palate and have the potential to age well. VINTAGE REPORT 1998 The winter months were marked by above average temperatures and very high rainfall from November to mid-February. As a result the soils reached saturation point and water reserves were fully replenished. Budburst occurred in the first 10 days of March, during which the weather was dry. Contrary to the more usual budburst occurring as per variety, budburst started in the less exposed locations protected from the cold and the wind. The first two months of the growing season were abnormally cold and wet, particularly in April. As a result shoot growth was seriously hampered and the photosynthesis was extremely low. The first week of May was much warmer and with the abundant availability of water in the soil, resulted in large shoot growth activity. Although the start to the season was slow the conditions led to a good recovery of the canopies and resulting in healthy and vigorous canopies, which continued for longer than normal. On average the number of inflorescences across all grape varieties is lower than last year, with Tinta Roriz being particularly low and, on contrast, Tinta Barroca has a higher potential yield. Touriga Nacional has a smaller number of inflorescences than last year, but can still be considered good for this variety as last year was the greatest number of inflorescences in memory. The wet weather prior to flowering resulted in vigorous growth of the vines during the flowering period itself. As a result flower set was very poor, having particularly badly affected Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa. From flowering to the beginning of harvest there was no rain. The month of July was consistently hot with the monthly average temperature being amongst the highest on record. The first two weeks of August were extremely hot with daily temperatures rising well above 40ºC. The second half of August and early September returned to normal temperatures for the region with warm/hot days and moderate nights. Although the first half of the season was very wet, the cool temperatures limited the amount of Downy Mildew in the majority of vineyards. However, Powdery Mildew was a major problem for many farmers in the region. Rain started to fall as from the 20th, and affected the whole of the region on a daily showers basis for the duration of the picking. The yields for the region were the lowest of any year in the last decade, with yields in some cases being 60% lower than average. The old vineyards were particularly affected. The ripeness of the grape skins resulting from a slow ripening period, hampered by the excessive heat, resulted in fermentations being very fast. Although it rained throughout the harvest, the grapes resisted well and almost no bunch rot was found. The low yield and shrivelled loose bunches contributed to this. The potential quality for this year was enormous, however the rain caused some dilution. Good Ports were still made and I look forward to the first evaluation in January. VINTAGE REPORT 1999 Following a wet 1998 vintage we had a very cold and dry winter, with very little rainfall. As a consequence, budburst started two weeks later than usual in mid March. The start to the season was dry, and warm temperatures allowed the vines to recover for some lost time. The number of inflorescences was extremely high, promising a potentially good yield. April and May were very wet, which was just as well as the water reserves in the soil were very low. Flowering occurred in mid May under wet conditions which caused a small amount of damage during set, however with the initial large number of inflorescences, the overall yield was not significantly compromised. The initial dry start to the season reduced the potential disease problems that could have occurred with a wet Spring, and some timely sprays in April and May made sure no damage was caused. June and July were extremely hot with temperatures rising above 40ºC on several occasions. This temperature conditioned the development of the berries, with the final result at the end of July being vines with a regularly large number of bunches per vine, with small berries. Veraison started in the third week of July and was quick to colour the bunches in most varieties. The extreme heat of the summer was interrupted at around the eclipse (11th August) with three days of heavy rain. The remainder of August was dry with warm, but not hot, days allowing for the vines to ripen at a steady rate. At the beginning of September the potential quality was extremely exciting: a hot June and July had resulted in the size of the berries being restricted, followed by a very good watering in early August giving new life to the vines. The rest of August was warm but not too hot, providing perfect conditions for the vines to ripen. At the end of August, 1st week of September, three days of heavy rain dampened the first expectations, however good weather followed for the week after. Just as we were about to start the picking in mid September, one week of continuous heavy rain managed to destroy what was about to be a most spectacular vintage. Fortunately, the end of September was dry and warm, and remarkably for the amount of rain that fell, surprisingly good Ports were made for the remainder of the vintage, without an significant amount of bunch rot appearing.
VINTAGE REPORT 2000 A wet 1999 vintage was followed by a cold and dry winter with almost no rain falling to help build up the water reserves. Budburst occurred in the first two weeks along with the dry weather, however, cold conditions and lack of water limited the budburst development and caused "gavinhas" (French: "vrilles"), thus reducing potential yield. April and May were very wet with half the annual rainfall falling in these two months. Although saving the life of many vines, this caused tremendous vigour which resulted in a poor berry set (French: coulure), which occurred at the end of May.The poor weather also resulted in a much higher than average number of sprays to control the fungal diseases. The yield from the Taylor and Fonseca properties was therefore not as seriously affected as others, which in the region was around a third lower than the 1999 vintage. June and July were dry and the temperatures produced the ideal growing conditions. The weather was not overly hot, few days went above 40ºC. As a result veraison was very homogenous, occurring around the 15th of July. August continued dry, with the first half being extremely hot. The end of August and early September had perfect ripening conditions with long warm days. A couple of days of rain between the 10th and 18th of September produced the ideal conditions and finished off the ripening. The harvest started on the 20th of September and finished on the 10th October. It was carried out in good conditions with a short spell of rain, happening in the middle of the vintage and mostly falling in the Baixo Corgo region. The resulting wines were big and full bodied with intense colour and very attractive aromatic aromas. They are promising and I look forward to analysing them further once they come down from the Douro in the new year.
VINTAGE REPORT 2001 The 2001 viticultural season was marked by one of the wettest winters on record. Between November 2000 and the end of March 2001 we recorded in Pinhão 1,057 mm (17,3 inches) of rain, which caused widespread flooding and damage to the Douro region. Aside from the damage resulting from so much rain, the wet winter was fundamental to the vines, replenishing the reserves of water and naturally returning vigour, following what has been four years of low rainfall. The wet winter and relatively warm temperatures meant an early budburst in the first decade of March. The wet and cool March resulted in a tremendous amount of early season vigour and consequently Tinta Roriz lost many of its potential bunches to tendrils. This was a natural and very welcome form of bunch thinning for what would otherwise have been a tremendous over cropping for this variety. From April forward the weather cleared up, with only 110 mm (2 inches) of rain falling until the end of August. The temperatures were moderately hot throughout the Summer, with a continuous presence of light winds being an important contribution to reducing the threat of disease. With the dry weather, warm temperatures, and a high luminosity, flowering occurred under ideal conditions. Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca were the two varieties that showed most potential yield. This was the best year for Touriga Nacional in our own vineyards. This is a result of a combination of good conditions at flowering plus the increasing impact of the new plantings of Touriga Nacional which are now all from clonal selection. The long growing season and the almost total lack of rain from June to the end of August caused a lot of stress to the vines. 12mm of rain on the 28th of August contributed favourably to the final ripening of the grapes. The vindima started on the 17th of September at Quinta de Vargellas, and on the 20th in the Pinhão Valley. The weather conditions during the first half of the vintage were ideal with hot days (low 30’sº C) and cold nights (15-17º C) contributing favourably to fermentations. 10mm of rain on the 29th of September and again on the 5th of October affected the end of vintage, but fortunately the rain was restricted to those 2 days, allowing most of the picking to occur under dry conditions. Overall, the 2001 season produced an extra 30% yield on last year. The quality of the 2001 vintage was quite evident at the beginning with the first Ports made. Although not as exuberant as the 2000 ports in terms of aromas, many of the Ports produced show as much colour. I look forward to seeing how they develop over the next few months. This year is certainly distinguished by being a year of larger production with a consistently high overall quality, as has not been seen since 1995.
VINTAGE REPORT 2002 The 2001-2002 Viticultural year was one of the driest years on record. During the winter almost no rain fell, and between budburst and the end of August the accumulated precipitation in Pinhão was only 150 mm (9.1 Inches). Besides the dry winter, the temperature was extremely cold, with the Pinhão river at Cruzeiro completely freezing over at Christmas. The cold winter resulted in a later than normal budburst, which started in the week of the 20th of March. The dry conditions led to a year of very low vigour right from the start, resulting in considerably less work with canopy management. The low vigour combined with the very dry conditions resulted in no Downy Mildew and the Powdery Mildew that appeared was very easy to control. The grapes this year at the end of August were probably the healthiest that we have seen this last decade. Yields this year were between 20 – 30% lower than last year, a touch below average. The low vigour lead the vines to compensate both in smaller bunch and berry size, as the number of bunches was not significantly lower, with the exception of Tinta Roriz which was particularly low yielding. Tinta Barroca had an above average yield this year, which reflected in a lesser drop in yield in old vineyards with a high predominance of this grape variety. The very low ground water reserves together with a very hot July and August, led the vines to shut down photosynthesis, resulting in a delayed ripening of both sugars and flavours. If it had not been for the dry start to the season, with the grape berries providing thick skins to protect themselves, there would have been much more sunburn and berry shrivel. Remarkably, there was considerably less than last year, a comparatively wetter and cooler season. Just when we were waiting for the last ripening of the grapes to occur in early September, between the 15th and 22nd, we received 70mm (4.3 Inches) of rain across the Douro. If it had not been for the perfect health of the grapes this season, the effect would have been much more damaging, however the tight berries did not resist to so much water and splitting occurred across most grape varieties. Warm and humid conditions throughout vintage contributed to mould development as the vintage progressed. The vintage started on our Quintas as from the 23rd September, and clear hot weather resulted in very good Ports being made during the two weeks until the rains returned in the beginning of October.
2003 Vintage Report The 2002/2003 Winter was very wet. Our weather station in the Pinhão Valley recorded 1,000 millilitres of rainfall between November and March, against an annual average of 600 millilitres for the Cima Corgo Region. This rain was very welcome following the drought conditions of the previous winter and growing season. Budburst occurred in the second decade of March, followed by a spring of regular short periods of rain causing a permanent threat of an outburst of Downy and Powdery Mildew. Flowering occurred during the last 10 days of May. The high luminosity and temperatures were so favourable this year that the amount of pollen in the air during flowering was extraordinary, creating almost perfect conditions for flowering. After flowering, the weather continued fine, with only occasional rain spots giving the vine and the berries very good growing conditions, without creating much of a threat for disease. Veraison started early on the 1st of July, prolonging at slow rate for almost three weeks. A turning point for the season came in the first 15 days of August when the first intense heat wave of the season brought the growing cycle of the vine to an abrupt halt, and made the vine concentrate on ripening the grapes. Official Shade Temperatures recorded at Vargellas during this period reached a maximum temperature of 43.3º C, with only one day below 40º C, and a minimum temperature of 33ºC. The Relative Humidity for this period was less than 10%. The second half of August was cooler, and two days of light rain in the last week of August helped the ripening of the grapes. Picking started at Vargellas on the 12th September, and a week later in the Pinhão Valley. A second heat wave during this second half of September gave magnificent conditions for the picking and for the fermentations. Two days of rain in the last week of September cooled down temperatures, and was not enough to do any damage to the grapes. The weather improved straight after the rain and we had extraordinarily good weather up until the end of harvest on the 10th of October. Yields this year were above average as a result of very even yields across all varieties and larger than normal bunches as a result of the very good conditions earlier in the season. The remarkable condition of the grapes, and the extraordinary weather conditions up until the end of harvest led to a very high standard of Ports being made from the entire region. From the start of vintage, the colour and fruit released from the skins during the fermentations was evident, and the tannins were present in large quantities, making the young Ports stand out for their quality. They will continue to improve as the wines integrate over the winter. 2003 could well be considered a ‘text book year’ for good Port production. 2004 Vintage Report The 2003/2004 Winter was very dry, having only rained 1/3 of the quantity registered the previous winter. With these conditions, and following a hot and dry reason last year, the growing season started with very low reserves of water. Budburst occurred from the 17th March, and until flowering only a further 30 mm of rain were recorded. The vines reacted to these extreme conditions by reducing the vigour of the canopies. Additionally the fertility of the vines was less both in the number of bunches as well as their size, with Tinta Roriz and Tinta Amarela being the most affected. From Flowering to Veraison, which started in the A Grade vineyards on the 5th July, 18mm of rain was recorded in Vale de Mendiz. The lack of water during the early part of the growing season led to very little pressure from disease. Our concern in July was mainly one of doubting the vines capacity to ripen the grapes due to the drastic shortage of water. VINTAGE REPORT 2004 In contrast to the previous summer where the extreme heat concentrated the grapes, the 2004 summer was particularly cool, with only one day above 40ºC being registered in Vale de Mendiz. However, it was the steady rains of mid-August, 38mm in Vale de Mendiz and 57mm at Vargellas, that saved the year and gave the vines the capacity to ripen the crop. A cool beginning of September resulted in the vintage starting later than normal during the week of the 20th September, by which time hot days quickly led the grapes to come in above 15º Baumé. The vintage stood out for the perfect weather conditions for the whole period. Grape yields were 25% down in relation to 2003 and the Ports produced from the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior are of a very high standard. The young Ports show good structure with very fresh berry fruit aromas, resulting from the cooler than normal ripening period. The only significant quantity of rain that followed the already dry and hot 2004 season fell in October and November 2004, but even this was only in the order of 140mm of rain. The remainder of the Winter for 2004/5 was extremely cold and dry leaving the reserves of water at an extreme low level for the start of the season. The 2005 growing season was started with budburst as from the 24th of March, being later than usual as a result of the cold weather and the shortage of water. The whole growing season was marked by the vines constant struggle to grow, notably its low vigour and small berry size for all grape varieties. This struggle was a result of the low level of reserves in the vine following the previous season together with low levels of moisture in the soil. The 100mm of rain that fell in the Spring was fundamental to help the growth of the vines at the beginning of the season. However, it was insufficient to promote any vigour or even to create further water reserves in the ground. From May 16th until the 6th of September there was no further rain, which combined with three distinct heat waves in June, July and the 1st week of August caused a tremendous amount of stress to the vines, limiting their development in every aspect. Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz were affected by the exposure to the heat, resulting in the loss of leaves much earlier than usual. However, considering the extreme heat, coupled with the lack of water, the vines showed a remarkable capacity to slowly ripen the grapes, which across the whole region were the healthiest I have seen in many years. The whole of the month of August was extremely hot but between the 6-9th of September we received 20- 30mm of rain across the region that gave the vines the critical relief that enabled them to finish the ripening of the grapes. Picking started on our Quintas between the 12th and 17th of September and together with perfect weather during the picking led to great Portos being made being made from the Douro, regardless of region or altitude. Yields varied depending on the age of the vines and their location, but as a rule yields dropped considerably in the upper Douro, in relation to 2004 but were the same and even increased in the rest of the Valley.
With thanks to the Taylor Fladgate Partnership for providing material from their archives.
