Vintage 2022
- uncle tom
- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Vintage 2022
I picked up a snippet in the Telegraph that reported that Pinhao in Portugal saw the mercury hit 47C on July 14th.
Now, IIRC, there is more than one place called Pinhao in Portugal, but assuming it is 'our' Pinhao, could this be a harbinger of a potentially good vintage?
- Or is the heat a bit too extreme - and perhaps a bit early..?
Anyone have any correspondence from the front line?
Now, IIRC, there is more than one place called Pinhao in Portugal, but assuming it is 'our' Pinhao, could this be a harbinger of a potentially good vintage?
- Or is the heat a bit too extreme - and perhaps a bit early..?
Anyone have any correspondence from the front line?
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
- JacobH
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
I’m pretty sure that it was Pinhão in the Douro: the Symingtons put something online about it. They suggested that it was the hottest temperature recorded in Portugal, although I have heard a few other candidates for that rather dubious record.
It sounds much too hot much too early for me for a classic vintage but I hope I am wrong. I was also interested that it was there rather than the Douro Superior.
It sounds much too hot much too early for me for a classic vintage but I hope I am wrong. I was also interested that it was there rather than the Douro Superior.
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- Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Re: Vintage 2022
Yup, it was Pinhão in the Douro. A new record temperature in Portugal.uncle tom wrote: ↑11:11 Thu 04 Aug 2022 I picked up a snippet in the Telegraph that reported that Pinhao in Portugal saw the mercury hit 47C on July 14th.
Now, IIRC, there is more than one place called Pinhao in Portugal, but assuming it is 'our' Pinhao, could this be a harbinger of a potentially good vintage?
- Or is the heat a bit too extreme - and perhaps a bit early..?
Anyone have any correspondence from the front line?
In my opinion the grapes will be unbalanced, phenolic maturation will not keep up with sugar maturation.
- JacobH
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
I think Tom has mentioned in the past that there aren’t many publicly-available weather stations in the Douro. I think the only ones used to be in Régua and Villa Real, although there seem to be more, now. I did wonder if the reason it was hottest in Pinhão was because it was actually the hottest place or whether it might have been even hotter elsewhere but just not recorded. I usually assume that it is much hotter in, say, Foz Côa.
Re: Vintage 2022
Personal weather stations can be relatively inexpensive - there are ones that work with the Ambient Weather network as low as $150. I'm a little surprised that there aren't more of those available, but it appears that their network only has a single station in the Porto area.
Having a small network of those in Vila Nova de Foz Coa, Sao Joao de Pesqueira, Pinhao, and maybe a few other places would be super useful!
Having a small network of those in Vila Nova de Foz Coa, Sao Joao de Pesqueira, Pinhao, and maybe a few other places would be super useful!
Glenn Elliott
- JacobH
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
I agree. Also, I’m sure that many producers will have weather stations on their properties. I’d have thought you’d want quite a sophisticated one if you are managing a big quinta. It is a pity that even snapshot data isn’t available.
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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Re: Vintage 2022
I saw today on FaceBook that Niepoort have started to bring in their Pinot Noir into Napoles.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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Re: Vintage 2022
And a couple of days ago Ramos Pinto reported viosinho grapes were being brought into the winery at Bons Ares.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
- JacobH
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
Any idea how this compares to “normal”? I feel like every year is the earliest-ever at the moment...
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- Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Re: Vintage 2022
It's very early.
Re: Vintage 2022
Having discussed climatic conditions and the effect on the harvest with a number of Port producers every year for almost two decades I suspect that 2022 will be generally described as "a difficult year where we made some very nice wines"
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
Re: Vintage 2022
Translation: not going to be declared, but we don't want to say it sucked because we still want to sell you our product.
Glenn Elliott
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- Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Re: Vintage 2022
It's almost impossible to make bad Port these days, unless you really want to. One can always grade it on a curve, and there one will find 'great' years and 'bad' years, but the 'bad' ones are still really good in 'real' terms, it's just that the 'great' ones are...well, great.
I have no doubt that 2022 will produce really good wines...on an absolute scale. But relative to other - great - years, it'll be below par (in my opinion; things can still change - like with some unexpected rainfall in August).
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- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
My understanding is it has been very dry and a sustained heat (aka: very hot) this year. Not a great combo for grapes so early in the ripening cycle, generally speaking. Hopefully permanent damage hasn't already happened and some rain comes that refreshes things and the harvest turns out well. Keeping fingers crossed.
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- Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Re: Vintage 2022
Absolutely. It's always hot in the Douro summer, but I don't remember it being so hot for so long. We've had temperatures in the high 30s (ºC) for, what, two months, now?
Summer nights also used to be cool (sometimes even downright cold), but this year they haven't been so cool, which is also bad for the ripening cycle.
Summer nights also used to be cool (sometimes even downright cold), but this year they haven't been so cool, which is also bad for the ripening cycle.
- uncle tom
- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: Vintage 2022
- Difficult usually meaning poor yields or erratic ripening, rather than rubbish quality"a difficult year where we made some very nice wines"
There's been quite a seismic change on that front. We've not had a really problematic vintage since '93. Prior to that, rubbish years happened around twice a decade.It's almost impossible to make bad Port these days, unless you really want to.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Re: Vintage 2022
Wasn't either 2001 or 2002 pretty bad? Not as bad as '93 for sure, but still pretty poor.
Glenn Elliott
- uncle tom
- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: Vintage 2022
I've little personal experience of 2002 so far, but the notes from others are good. Every 2001 I've tried has been very solid, and I know one significant producer who argues with passion that it should have been declared in preference to 2000.Wasn't either 2001 or 2002 pretty bad? Not as bad as '93 for sure, but still pretty poor.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
Re: Vintage 2022
Ah yes, the Vesuvio test. An excellent data point!Andy Velebil wrote: ↑19:58 Fri 12 Aug 20222001 was better than 2002. The later wasn't so good. I don't recall Noval or Vesuvio releasing a 2002 if that helps put it in perspective.
Glenn Elliott
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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Re: Vintage 2022
Although Vesuvio didn't declare in 2002, there were others who did - like Cavadinha, Noval Silval, Roeda and Vargellas.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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Re: Vintage 2022
I’ve just seen a post by Vallado that they have started picking their white grapes.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
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Re: Vintage 2022
And now Ramos Pinto are picking their white grapes at Ervamoira.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
- JacobH
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Vintage 2022
I think the last seriously challenging years where no or almost no VP was made were 2002, 1993, 1981, 1973 & 1971. As Tom says, about once a decade (although I bet modern winemaking and a willingness to declare small quantities might have helped some of those). 1993 was a wash-out. I think 2002 was badly impacted by late rain. Does anyone know what happened in those other years? I’m wondering if it is always too much rain (or too late) that really kills off the ability to make VP?