Port producers see early signs of vintage year

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 30 July, 2015

Winemakers in the Douro are predicting a possible vintage crop this year. Plentiful ground water after a wet autumn together with a hot, dry summer has created conditions similar to 2011.

Winemakers in the Douro are predicting a possible vintage crop this year. Plentiful ground water after a wet autumn together with a hot dry summer is creating conditions similar to 2011.

The 2011 vintage was widely regarded as the best in two decades or more.

Publicity about its quality helped reinvigorate sales of Port, which had been flat for some time, and brought many UK wine merchants and buyers back to the fold.

Croft's Quinta da Roêda in Pinhão has recorded the region's highest temparture so far this year: 41.9°C on 29 June.

The Fladgate Partnership, which owns the Taylor's, Croft and Fonseca brands, is reporting that the grapes in its vineyards have already begun to ripen and change colour.

Port: Fight or flight?

Fladgate's head viticulturist, António Magalhães, commented: "a very good indicator of an early harvest in our vineyards is the development of our Touriga Nacional. It is always a late developer, but this year it has already changed colour to a deep purple."

It is estimated that grapes in the Douro are ripening some two weeks ahead of schedule.

The Douro has one of the lowest yields of any wine-growing region in the world. At 3,000kg per hectare it delivers less than a fifth the yield of the US or Australia.

Conditions this year are described as near perfect, however.

David Guimaraens, head winemaker at Fladgate, said: "Conditions are similar to 2011. Both years experienced warm dry springs and summers, although the winter preceding 2011 was wetter. The ground water reserves this year are fine so we are hoping for a very good harvest, although it will be starting earlier than usual. We expect to receive the first grapes at the Quinta da Nogueira winery during the last week of August."