After the hot and dry year of 2017, the winter of 2018 brought little relief in terms of precipitation. In fact, there was hardly any rain at all from October 2017 until February 2018. Then, the first rains began late in the month and continued in abundance until mid-June. The spring was wet and mild in temperature, which led to considerable problems with mildew between  lowering and fruit set. This was an unusual problem for most Douro Valley grape growers. We had to ready to act at precisely the right moment, as there was no margin of error in controlling for vineyard health. At the end of July came the veraison, and the grapes began to ripen. August was hot and dry. Thankfully, the spring rains had left soil water reserves that allowed the vines to do their job and produce an excellent canopy. Outstanding grape ripeness was the result. Cold nights and hot, dry September days allowed late-ripening grape varieties such as Touriga Franca to reach excellent levels of ripeness. The 2018 harvest began with the arrival of the first white grapes from Quinta do Crasto on August 29, and we wrapped up on October 14 with the last grapes from the highest altitude vineyards. On balance, 2018 brought exceptional balance and freshness to our white wines; our reds turned out concentrated, with outstanding structure and freshness, and clearly defined aromas.

Grapes are taken to the winery in 22 kg boxes. After a rigorous selection, the stalks are removed and the grapes are crushed and transferred to stainless steel vats. The alcoholic fermentation takes place at controlled temperature for 7 days. Aging: 85% in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats; 15% in 225-liter French oak barrels for 6 months.

The 2017 harvest will go down in the as the earliest ever at Quinta do Crasto. An unusually warm and dry winter meant that the vines’ growth cycle began earlier than normal. Low rainfall continued throughout the cycle leading to moderate water stress and the vines had to naturally adapt to these adverse weather conditions. Harvest began on 8 August, with the Viosinho grapes that would go into the Crasto White Wine 2017 blend. This was an important decision since it allowed us the desired levels of freshness and natural acidity. On 18 August, we started picking the red grapes at the Quinta da Cabreira vineyard in the Douro Superior subregion. We are able to irrigate the grapes on this property and this was instrumental in keeping the vines working in a well-balanced fashion and enabled the berries to achieve perfect ripeness. In late August, evening temperatures fell significantly, which helped finish off the ripening of the grapes. A period of warm days combined with cool nights yielded the perfect balance, so that the harvest of the first Quinta do Crasto red grapes could begin. Dry days in September ensured a smooth harvest. The harvest wrapped up much earlier than normal, namely on 19 September. On balance, we can say that 2017 was a year of lower yields, with fewer bunches of smaller grapes, but that had excellent concentration and an optimal skin to pulp ratio. This was a challenging year for the viticulture and winemaking teams. We had to perfectly time the harvest to ensure maximum quality. 2017 will certainly go down in history as a year of exceptional wines.

Grapes are taken to the winery in 22 kg boxes. After a rigorous selection, the stalks are removed and the grapes are crushed and transferred to stainless steel vats. The alcoholic fermentation takes place at controlled temperature for 7 days. Aging: 85% in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats; 15% in 225-litre French oak barrels for 6 months.

Adverse weather conditions made 2016 a complex year. The winter saw generous levels of rainfall, far above the average for the last thirty years. It was also warmer than usual through the end of January. The rain continued into early spring, but it was accompanied by an considerable fall in temperatures that slowed the growth of the vines. July and August were extremely hot and dry. The rainy winter had provided abundant water reserves that yielded lush vines with excellent canopies. The grapes were ripening well, if slowly. Quinta do Crasto saw 18mm of rain on 24 and 25 August, which was of great benefit to the vines. This, together with a fall in temperatures in early September, gave rise to the perfect ripening of the grapes. The white grape harvest began on 2 September and the first red wine grapes began coming into the winery on 5 September. The good weather continued throughout the harvest, enhancing maturation and this allowed us to pinpoint the exact moment to pick each particular vineyard or variety. As a result, the whites, reds and Ports this year had excellent colour, strong aromas and serious structure, as well as being elegant and well-balanced. The complexity of this harvest meant the viticultural team and winemaking team had to spend considerable time in the vineyards so as to make the most important decisions that would lead to great wines.

Grapes are taken to the winery in 22 kg boxes. After a rigorous selection, the stalks are removed and the grapes are crushed and transferred to stainless steel vats. The alcoholic fermentation takes place at controlled temperature for 7 days. Ageing: 95% in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats; 5% in 225-litre French oak barrels for 6 months.