2013 Vintage Outlook

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 08:17 Thu 05 Sep 2013

I don't recall seeing a thread where we have been discussing the prospects for the 2013 vintage - I know in my case that has mainly been because of my focus on the 2011 vintage release.

However, I had some feedback yesterday on the current state of the vines. Last year was very dry but there was quite a lot of rain over the winter that helped to build ground water levels up from their drought levels. However, the spring and summer have been very dry and some parts of the upper Douro have not had any rain for 3 months and have none forecast for the next month. As a result, grapes are generally very small and thick skinned. Already some of the vines have shut down and the grapes have gone into the cycle where their maturation has been suspended.

If a few days of rain comes into the Douro in the next month, this could be a very fine harvest. Current best guess is that the harvest is going to start late, perhaps by as much as a week or two - but this will change rapidly if the weather alters from the ongoing hot and dry conditions.

So far the Douro also appears to have escaped from the effects of the fires which have affected other parts of Portugal and Madeira.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 08:29 Thu 05 Sep 2013

According to the Portuguese Meteo service, it is (-at last..) raining in the Douro this morning

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 15:22 Thu 05 Sep 2013

The fire risk map confirms that the whole of northern Portugal has had a good soaking:

http://www.ipma.pt/en/ambiente/risco.incendio/

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 16:20 Thu 05 Sep 2013

uncle tom wrote:The fire risk map confirms that the whole of northern Portugal has had a good soaking:

http://www.ipma.pt/en/ambiente/risco.incendio/

That is a really interesting map. It does show that rain appears to have been widespread throughout the Douro Valley. Hmm...wonder what that means for the grapes and vines. Pity that the Douro Insider is so unreliable these days.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 18:08 Thu 05 Sep 2013

Hmm...wonder what that means for the grapes and vines

Going by past vintage reportage, a short sharp soaking at this time following a prolonged dry spell should be very welcome. If it's followed by fine weather with more moderate temperatures, a fine vintage could result.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 15:17 Sat 07 Sep 2013

http://malvedos.wordpress.com/

" Dominic Symington who was at Malvedos entertaining some Russian guests from our importer there, had a broad smile of contentment "

Post by **DRT** » 15:28 Sat 07 Sep 2013

uncle tom wrote:http://malvedos.wordpress.com/

" Dominic Symington who was at Malvedos entertaining some Russian guests from our importer there, had a broad smile of contentment "

I wonder how much they had agreed to buy?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 18:11 Tue 10 Sep 2013

From the Douro, I bring you these notes.

The harvest has started with some producers but others are waiting. Dirk Niepoort and Vincent Bouchard independently were of the opinion that there is no point waiting. One is a very large producer, one is very small. VB pointed that many small growers who do not have their own wineries are being held up by the co-ops, who are busy with white grapes and say 'come back in two days'. He also thought that the grapes are ripe generally (in the Baixa Corgo and Cima Corgo I suppose he means), with potential alcohol of approx 14%, and that waiting will simply make them too sweet. They started treading theirs last night.

I don't know what the situation is further east yet. Dominic Symington suggests that their harvest begins next week. Oscar is off to Porto and back on Tuesday, when we will be visiting him.

Must question Dirk further regarding the timing of his main port harvest tomorrow evening when we meet for dinner. Lunch yesterday was splendid, featuring an idiosyncratically large number of German / Austrian wines, I felt. But DN is nothing if not a good host and made sure to have plenty of his own DOCs and some excellent port. We finished with a 1795 Madeira. Beethoven and Napoleon were young men; Robespierre only recently dead.

A question in passing: why do the garrafeiras in Régua sell Ni11 for £70? This seems ridiculous. I'm always amazed by quite how fully priced port is at the source.

Post by **DRT** » 21:48 Tue 10 Sep 2013

Good info, please keep it coming.

djewesbury wrote:A question in passing: why do the garrafeiras in Régua sell Ni11 for £70? This seems ridiculous. I'm always amazed by quite how fully priced port is at the source.

A well educated woman who happens to be fanatical about Spanish leather handbags might go to Malaga and find a spectacular example for 10 Euro. A drunk fat girl from Essex might buy one for 100 Euro thinking she got a bargain.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 09:10 Wed 11 Sep 2013

djewesbury wrote:Must question Dirk further regarding the timing of his main port harvest tomorrow evening when we meet for dinner.

An interesting point - wine grapes might be ripe to pick now before they become too sweet, but perhaps sweeter grapes are better for port.

Keep up the good reporting. Excellent to have someone on the ground reporting back. What's the weather like today?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 09:14 Wed 11 Sep 2013

AHB wrote:What's the weather like today?

Hot and bright. From here I can see no clouds except some little white fluffy things behind the ridge beyond Napoles. The thermometers said 27Â° yesterday but it was certainly hotter than that around 3 pm. It's due to cool at the beginning of next week I think. There was also meant to be a little rain last night but that never appeared.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:17 Wed 11 Sep 2013

News from Quinta do Panascal: harvest not expected to begin until Monday week, the 23rd. The grapes are looking and tasting very ripe, and there is a lot of raisining happening. I didn't have an opportunity to ask further questions though.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 19:52 Thu 12 Sep 2013

Reception began at Vale de Mendiz (Niepoort) today. Up the road, Passadouro expect to start next week (but the weighbridge isn't finished yet). While there we tasted the Vieira da Sousa 2011 which is a very good wine (but this isn't a TN and I don't want this message moved...)

The Douro Boys auction is tomorrow night (not going) so Axel will be in town. I am expecting more detailed updates from someone so well connected...

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 05:54 Mon 16 Sep 2013

Update from Oscar here:

http://quevedoportwine.com/2013-harvest ... qus_thread

Current forecast is good for the next ten days, but there is a big question mark over the ulimate destination of tropical storm Humberto, which moved into the mid atlantic and lost power, but is now regenerating southwest of the Azores. It looks certain to head towards europe, and somewhere is going to get a very soggy battering from the remnants of the system when it eventually makes landfall - but where exactly is a hard call at the moment..

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 08:39 Wed 18 Sep 2013

Weather forecast remains very good, Humberto projected to head north toward Iceland.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 07:57 Sat 21 Sep 2013

Last September we had almost daily updates on the harvest via the Malvedos blog - but this year the most recent posting is titled 'Tracking the season - August 30th' - and was posted eight days after the event.

Oscar's most recent post was on the 15th, and his live cam seems to be no more..

The weather forecasts are now indicating that the weather will break in a week's time, but how much will be gathered in by then?

- We need reportage!!

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 09:40 Sat 21 Sep 2013

uncle tom wrote:Last September we had almost daily updates on the harvest via the Malvedos blog - but this year the most recent posting is titled 'Tracking the season - August 30th' - and was posted eight days after the event.

Oscar's most recent post was on the 15th, and his live cam seems to be no more..

The weather forecasts are now indicating that the weather will break in a week's time, but how much will be gathered in by then?

- We need reportage!!

I think Axel is the man to bring us up to date since he has spent this week speaking to every producer. All whom I spoke to seemed happy to start picking small lots in the last few days and to wait until this weekend / Monday to start in earnest. Nobody seems worried that the weather will break badly but I was told that today, the equinox, traditionally marks the onset of cooler days..

Post by **jdaw1** » 15:57 Sat 21 Sep 2013

uncle tom wrote:- We need reportage!!

I hear my grandfather’s voice insisting on P’s and Q’s.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 16:23 Sat 21 Sep 2013

OK - Please.. tell me what the Qs are short for..?

Post by **jdaw1** » 16:43 Sat 21 Sep 2013

Pleases and thank yous (the ‘q’ being heard rather than seen in the latter).

Post by **DRT** » 16:50 Sat 21 Sep 2013

uncle tom wrote:OK - Please.. tell me what the Qs are short for..?

The Font of all Knowledge wrote:There are several different theories as to the origin of the phrase, but there is no definite proof as to which is correct.

One explanation suggests that "Ps and Qs" is short for "pleases" and "thank-yous", the latter of which contains a sound similar to the pronunciation of the name of the letter "Q". This phrase would be used by parents to educate their children to not forget to use those polite words when they speak to people. Possibly, it meant "please" and "excuse me." Young children would pronounce them as Ps and Qs.

Another origin comes from English pubs and taverns of the seventeenth century. Bartenders would keep a watch on the alcohol consumption of the patrons; keeping an eye on the pints and quarts that were consumed. As a reminder to the patrons, the bartender would recommend they "mind their Ps and Qs". This may also have been a reminder to bartenders not to confuse the two units, written as "p" and "q" on the tally slate.

I prefer the second option.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 16:56 Sat 21 Sep 2013

DRT wrote:
uncle tom wrote:OK - Please.. tell me what the Qs are short for..?

The Font of all Knowledge wrote:There are several different theories as to the origin of the phrase, but there is no definite proof as to which is correct.

One explanation suggests that "Ps and Qs" is short for "pleases" and "thank-yous", the latter of which contains a sound similar to the pronunciation of the name of the letter "Q". This phrase would be used by parents to educate their children to not forget to use those polite words when they speak to people. Possibly, it meant "please" and "excuse me." Young children would pronounce them as Ps and Qs.

Another origin comes from English pubs and taverns of the seventeenth century. Bartenders would keep a watch on the alcohol consumption of the patrons; keeping an eye on the pints and quarts that were consumed. As a reminder to the patrons, the bartender would recommend they "mind their Ps and Qs". This may also have been a reminder to bartenders not to confuse the two units, written as "p" and "q" on the tally slate.
I prefer the second option.

How could anyone confuse a pint with a quart?

Post by **DRT** » 16:57 Sat 21 Sep 2013

Depends how many you drink.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 19:07 Sun 22 Sep 2013

I've just seen a BBC Europe weather forecast for next week. Tuesday and Wednesday show significant rain falling across the entire length of Portugal.

And I agree with Tom - there is a real lack of reporting to the general public coming out of the Douro right now!

Post by **jdaw1** » 22:31 Mon 23 Sep 2013

The most recent update to the Malvedos blog is worthy of attention.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 07:58 Wed 25 Sep 2013

While good grapes are being harvested now, the weather forecast for the end of the week does not improve, with five consecutive wet days in prospect.

Makes me suspect that we'll see some good SQs from those who can harvest in time, but the quintas that normally harvest late may be compromised this year..

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 12:49 Wed 25 Sep 2013

A touch of rain at Cavadinha last night. More rain coming. Hopefully it isn't much and passes quickly.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 13:11 Wed 25 Sep 2013

Andy Velebil wrote:A touch of rain at Cavadinha last night. More rain coming. Hopefully it isn't much and passes quickly.

Are you over there?

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 13:12 Wed 25 Sep 2013

http://www.ipma.pt/en/otempo/prev.10dia ... dadeID=276

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 13:23 Wed 25 Sep 2013

uncle tom wrote:http://www.ipma.pt/en/otempo/prev.10dia ... dadeID=276

'Chuva moderada' = moderate rain.. so some hope of let-ups to allow picking, and a suggestion that it won't be so heavy as to damage the fruit...?

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 14:06 Wed 25 Sep 2013

djewesbury wrote:
Andy Velebil wrote:A touch of rain at Cavadinha last night. More rain coming. Hopefully it isn't much and passes quickly.
Are you over there?

No

Was told that by someone who was there

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 09:55 Thu 26 Sep 2013

I was told in mid-September that the grapes were in great condition at that time and were looking like a promising harvest. Not sure how the recent rain has affected them though...

Post by **jdaw1** » 10:36 Thu 26 Sep 2013

AHB wrote:I was told in mid-September

In reading old reports, it is very clear that the few weeks before harvest make or break the vintage. Great grapes can be ruined; mediocre grapes can become fabulous.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 10:43 Thu 26 Sep 2013

jdaw1 wrote:
AHB wrote:I was told in mid-September
In reading old reports, it is very clear that the few weeks before harvest make or break the vintage. Great grapes can be ruined; mediocre grapes can become fabulous.

My impression is that the rain there has been so far has been negligible; but the rain that falls from today onwards will change things.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 07:35 Mon 30 Sep 2013

It's looking like a soggy end to the vintage:

http://quevedoportwine.com/

I wonder what proportion will have been harvested before the rain takes its toll..?

Axel P · Post by **Axel P** » 08:05 Mon 30 Sep 2013

This year I encountered a 50/50 split amongst the producers when it came down to harvesting early or late. Some producers tend to harvest almost 70% and all their "good stuff" quite early and others did not start until as late as Sep 19th.

The rain until Sunday was not that bad and - from what I have heard - did not trouble anyone. From now on it seems that the weather is changing a lot, being colder and less sunny and more regular rain. The rain at this stage cannot be evaluated similar, because the effects can cause many problems, depending on slope, variety, maturation etc.

Lets wait for the results in some years

Axel

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 07:26 Sun 06 Oct 2013

http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/heavy-rai ... 18.article

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