In 2022, the three months preceding the vintage were among the hottest and driest ever recorded. The conditions were so extraordinary that nobody knew how the vines would react. We took the decision to begin picking in the Douro on 22nd August – the earliest we have ever started in the region.
Temperatures thankfully dropped in September, which allowed maturations to progress more evenly and gradually. We were then blessed by a period of rain and decided to stop harvesting for 10 days – the longest we have ever paused picking.
Fortunately, the rain and gradual rise in temperature that followed were ideal for the final stage of ripening for the Touriga Franca and remaining Touriga Nacional.
Our viticulture and winery teams worked flat out through one of the most challenging Douro harvests and we have made some very promising wines despite the astonishing conditions.
The 2022 harvest will be remembered as the year the conditions tested the resilience of our vines to the limit and our ability to adapt to a new reality.
