Vintage Report

1997 Vintage Report

The weather pattern during 1997 was regular with the exception of unusually hot and dry conditions in Northern Portugal during the months of February, March and April. The effect on the vegetative cycle of the Douro wines was firstly one of premature budding followed in some cases by secondary budding where the primary shoots had been withered.

This led to an irregular maturation in some of the vineyards and, although the rest of the year followed a normal pattern, a larger than average crop of grapes produced a grape deceptively yielding at the time of vinification.

The gradual build up of heat during the Summer continued into September and the normal Vintage took place at Agua Alta and most of the other 'river' Quintas started on 15th September.

Although the weather was hot, the lagares (fermentation tanks) took plenty of work, and the fermentations were longer than normal. Yields were 20% below the average.

Looking at some of the earlier wines produced straight after the vintage, they seem to be sound. They are, however, still thick and cloudy and it will only be possible to make a proper assessment once they start to 'close up' and fall bright after the Winter.

John Graham
30th September 1997