Portugal Vintages Flashcards
2014
Rain caused significant damage in the first half of the year, then a cool August didn’t help matters. Yields will be low, quality is not remarkable, and vintage declarations are most unlikely.
2013
Unusually cool conditions in April and May and a tinder dry summer slowed grape development resulting in a low-yielding, tardy harvest of generally high quality.
2012
The Douro saw drought and hail conspire to reduce yields significantly, by as much as 40% in places. The resultant small berries have made wines of high colour and notable acidity.
2011
The rain of 2010 was crucial in this much drier year, to sustain the vines through a hot summer. There was, finally, much needed precipitation in late August and September with dry, warm conditions thereafter which were perfect for picking. Looks to be a great quality vintage.
2010
An exceptionally wet winter brought challenging erosion to the Douro, but welcome restoration of ground water. A very hot July then retarded ripening (because the vines shut down in the excessive temperatures) but the weather was more agreeable later in the season with good conditions for harvest and increased yields compared to 2008 and 2009.
2009
An exceptionally hot summer led to an early vintage with great potential for Port, but extremely high alcohols in the unfortified wines, with some unripe tannins and shrivelled berries. Higher altitude sites will be crucial to making these wines work. A declared vintage.
2008
A dry but, like 2007, cool year. Some growers picked early for fear of rain, but those that risked it were rewarded with ideal ripening conditions late in the season. Not universally declared, although Quinta do Noval have.
2007
A vintage year, and one that has produced exceptionally approachable Ports at a young age. The growing season was fairly cool for the Douro, leading to later than usual harvest and none of the grape desiccation that can confer raisined character.
2006
A wet year with rain inconveniently timed in September. But some grapes were also shrivelled by extreme heat. Far from a textbook year.
2005
An exceptionally dry growing season in which only old vines triumphed. Very early harvest produced unusual musts - the Douro’s answer to 2003?
2004
The usual hot summer, then rain in early September but late September saw sugar levels zoom up. There will be some fine vintage and single quinta ports.
2003
Some great vintage ports, not harmed by the hot summer and helped by newfound alternative techniques to foot treading.
2002
The usual very dry summer was followed by an unusually wet September which compromised both the health and ripeness of those grapes that were picked. A most unusual harvest and extremely unlikely to produce vintage port.
2001
Some very good vintage port. Exceptionally wet winter - an unprecedented five months of rain - was followed by early budburst slowed by a cool spring. The crop was reduced by a heatwave in June but conditions were favourable throughout the rest of the summer. Useful quantity with good not great quality.
2000
Mild and exceptionally dry winter was followed by a wet spring which delayed the growth cycle. An unusually hot September gave the grapes a late boost just before harvest in benign conditions. The result of this, together with the introduction of new, mechanised alternatives to foot-treading in some houses, is a range of particularly luscious, ripe vintage ports.
