This year’s harvest started for Taylor Fladgate yesterday when the Nogueira winery received its first grapes from the eastern areas of the Douro Valley, with Taylor Fladgate’s Winemaker David Guimaraens reporting extremely healthy grapes showing good colour and flavour.
Following the driest winter since 2005, a relatively wet Spring replenished water reserves, however vines reacted to the dry start to the year to produce slightly lower yields than normal. All through the summer, the ripening season has been running behind its traditional schedule, although excellent leaf growth and canopies have enabled the vines to focus all their energy on the grapes.
"Whilst less than perfect weather conditions at the beginning of the year have presented a number of challenges, the vines have caught up dramatically during August and the beginning of September to produce wonderful grapes. Good colour and flavour of grapes at harvest is an indication of the excellent Port wines to come,” said David Guimaraens.