Niepoort 2013 Harvest Report

[djewesbury]

From here.

2013
Quinta de Nápoles

With the exception of December and January, the 2013 viticultural year was cooler than the average of the last 30 years and the rain that fell during the winter and spring was essential to restore the water levels after several very dry winters. At Quinta de Nápoles, a total of 121 mm of rain fell in January alone. Weather conditions in April, May and June with the continued rainfall and low temperatures heavily conditioned the growing cycle, delaying it by around 2 weeks.

The temperature suddenly rose on the 21st June and remained high until the beginning of September. The harvest began on the 19th August, earlier than usual, in order to safeguard acidity levels and avoid high alcohol levels. The year was more productive, around 25% over the previous year. The decision to start harvesting earlier turned out to be the right one, since all the main vines had been harvested before heavy rain began to fall on the 27th September. Both white and red wines are extremely balanced, very fresh and with a good degree of concentration. The reds are deep in colour, revealing a year of great quality.

Vale de Mendiz

The winter of 2012/2013 was important in replenishing water levels after several dry winters. The rainfall carried on in the spring, with March registering the highest rainfall in the last 50 years; precipitation from November to the end of July (564 mm) in the Cima Corga was 1% up on the average of the last few decades. The relatively high level of rain and low temperatures until June (there was still snow on the Marão as late as May!) meant that the vegetative cycle of the vine was delayed.

The weather warmed up dramatically in the last 10 days of June and remained so until the beginning of September with thunderstorms and some light rain overnight from the 4th to 5th of September. The hot weather led to some burnt clusters on exposed vines; the harvest started on the 12th September under perfect weather conditions and the last grapes from the Pisca vineyard arrived on 26th September -just in time- before heavy rain on 27th September. It only cleared up with the return of some blue skies on 3rd October; the harvest was larger than in 2012.

Luckily the decision to start early paid off as the majority of our top vineyards were harvested before the rain on 27th September. Throughout the harvest, even in more exposed vineyards, the potential alcohol was not high and we were able to avoid overripe grapes. We have made some very fresh and elegant port wines and at this stage all the different parcels from the Pisca vineyard destined to Bioma are looking most impressive and will no doubt benefit from the coming winter months.

[SushiNorth]

Happy to hear of the early harvest, I will be in need of quality 2013. Who else harvested early this year?