How goes the vintage?

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 12:40 Sun 16 Sep 2007

Accuweather are cheating - look at that forecast - it's not Pinhao but the one for Vila Real..

Tom

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » 16:56 Sun 16 Sep 2007

well at last, heavy thunderstorm today during 1,5 hours. It is not welcome at the moment. The vines will absorb a lot of water because it has not receive any for a long time. Some berries will break and will increase the chance of rot in the next few days.

So far for red wines it was looking to be a very good year at Niepoort but I donÃ‚Â´t know yet how still will influence the high altitude site not harvested yet.

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 15:37 Tue 18 Sep 2007

Apparently some pretty heavy weather in the Douro at the moment. Telephone and internet contact with Sabrosa has been impossible yesterday and today. Doesn't sound good. Maybe Fred can give an update on the damage...

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 16:23 Tue 18 Sep 2007

The Vila Real forecast for today and the week is quite benign.

Further afield, storm Ingrid is no longer considered worthy of comment by the Hurricane Center, with no further systems that are worthy of a name.

This leaves open the possibility of a good but very late vintage.

We need Fred to go have a look at some Touriga Nacional vines tomorrow, to see if they've been spoilt by the rain - if they were sufficiently behind in their development, they may yet turn out OK - although in a normal year, heavy rain in September is usually bad news.

Tom

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 20:42 Mon 24 Sep 2007

What's the latest from the front line Fred?

Tom

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » 20:54 Mon 24 Sep 2007

Tom, I did not ask for more details since I came back. When I left the Douro on the 18th there was some isolated showers happening in different region of the Douro. The 19th was very warm in Porto

Since then I don't know a thing that happened. I know these guys are very busy and I am too getting back into normal life. Still as soon as I have 2 mins to get my eyes off my computer screen, I think about going to Portugal and work over there

Thanks to Derek for looking after my English, I should be able to publish my full harvest details within a couple of days. I just need to sort my pictures to remove the repetitive ones and upload them.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 07:41 Tue 25 Sep 2007

Does anyone know if Noval are repeating last year's exercise of running daily reports on the vintage? I can't access the Noval website from this laptop and don't usually get the time to take a peek when I am at home.

If they are giving us the updates on weather, harvest, vintage etc., could someone send me the direct link to the story page please.

Thanks,

Alex

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 10:01 Tue 25 Sep 2007

It's the 2006 story still on the website. I hadn't seen this before, thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Axel P · Post by **Axel P** » 11:35 Tue 25 Sep 2007

Most of the guys I talked to are not too happy with the conditions in 2007. Although some say, that it wasnt that bad etc. and had some marketing phrases on, I dont think its worth watching out for this vintage too strongly although its a 7-year like 77 and 97...

Jorge Borges from Passadouro told me, that he is pretty happy with his harvest. I tried a sample from the lagar after treading (yes, I washed my feet (after that)), but Im not experienced enough with a very early cask or even lagar sample to really say anything about is. Although trying I definitely couldnt get out the taste of my feet. Lucky us.

Alex: Noval is not doing this. I have access to the press area and I think they did this last time, because that press-guy was there for 14 days and he actually did it.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » 12:46 Tue 25 Sep 2007

Axel P wrote:
Alex: Noval is not doing this. I have access to the press area and I think they did this last time, because that press-guy was there for 14 days and he actually did it.

I've met David who did the report on Noval last year. He is now preparing something with the Douro boys. It is going to be on his new website. I'll let you know when it is going to be released, it is at the project phase at the moment.

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 16:35 Tue 25 Sep 2007

Well tropical storm Jerry was a very short lived affair, which was well north and will probably give the Uk a little rain in a week or so.

Now we have Karen - currently gathering strength, and threatening Bermuda. If it continues to develop and then swings across the Atlantic, it might bring a soggy end to the european vintage - somewhere around October 10th.

Otherwise, the current harvest weather looks reasonably benign.

Tom

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 10:25 Wed 26 Sep 2007

What a difference a day brings..

An Atlantic front is now forecast to form into a depression later this week, with the centre projected to hit the Douro fair and square.

First rain is expected Saturday night, with showers and significant winds projected for five days..

This type of projection has a habit of changing significantly day by day..

..but if any growers are lurking out there who havn't yet picked their best grapes - you've probably only got four days to get them in!

Tom

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 11:05 Wed 26 Sep 2007

All in all, it looks like a pretty tricky vintage, where much depends on the good skills and gut feeling of the wine makers.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 12:05 Wed 26 Sep 2007

uncle tom wrote:
First rain is expected Saturday night, with showers and significant winds projected for five days..

This type of projection has a habit of changing significantly day by day..

Tom

Tom,
Keep leting us know how it looks, as I arrive in Oporto on Sunday morning with Derek. I guess rain slickers are in order.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » 14:12 Wed 26 Sep 2007

Got some news today from Qta do Napoles. So far the quality is excellent, the favorable weather is improving the quality and they are really excited.

Lets hope it will stay stable!

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 17:28 Thu 27 Sep 2007

Not much change to the forecast since yesterday - this link says it all..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/pressure/#no_url

Tom

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 11:57 Sat 29 Sep 2007

There's little cheer on the weather front - indeed while the forecast a few days ago held out the prospect of last minute picking today, it now appears to be raining in the Douro.

Some severe rain looks likely tomorrow, with a possibility of hail thrown in... There may be some respite on Monday before the rain returns on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The standing of the vintage looks likely to hinge on what has been picked to date..

Tom

Post by **DRT** » 14:55 Sat 29 Sep 2007

I will be at Quinta fr Napoles on Monday and Tuesday, hopefully blackberry enabled, and will yet to post some live updates.

Derek

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 15:11 Sat 29 Sep 2007

Derek,

Are you going over to the Douro? I didn't know. You should have said!

Alan

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 00:26 Mon 01 Oct 2007

What's the score Derek - the forecast is not excusing Monday now, and what appears to be the remains of Karen now looks set to hit Iberia next weekend...

Amounts of rain do not look mega though - showers rather than drenchings - I'm not sure how serious this is..

Be interesting to hear from producers who are not in the 'every year a vintage' camp..

Tom

Post by **DRT** » 11:39 Mon 01 Oct 2007

When I arrived yesterday we crossed over the hills ÃƒÂ¨n route to Oporto and flew through a huge rain storm. The runway had about an inch of standing water on it and from the look of the skys on the way in the Douro must have had the same storm.

The rest of the day was warm and sunny in Oporto.

Today was very nice in Oporto. Some patchy cloud but mostly sun. I'm on the train now and the sky ahead looks promising.

Ill update you later today, GPRS signal permitting.

Post by **DRT** » 13:02 Mon 01 Oct 2007

I'm now in the douro and it is a beautiful sunny day. Life is sometimes just too good to put into words

Luc · Post by **Luc** » 15:49 Mon 01 Oct 2007

Derek ,
I'll have you know that I'm salivating on my peanut butter as I writte these words .

By the way ,
Have you been able to break wind as of yet ??

Post by **DRT** » 08:23 Tue 02 Oct 2007

I am now looking out of my bedroom window (breaking wind) at a magnificant view of the Douro glistening in the morning sunshine. This is a truely beautiful plave to be.

No sign of rain and looking good for another wonderful day.

Derek

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 10:10 Tue 02 Oct 2007

But have they had rain??

Tom

ThePortForum.com

How goes the vintage?

Very differently from what the producers say

Re: Very differently from what the producers say