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 flowering 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 véraison, 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. The Port wines show excellent ageing potential.

The grapes, chosen from selected plots, are taken to the winery in 22 kg plastic boxes. On arrival in the winery they are rigorously inspected on a sorting table. The grapes are then destemmed and pressed. The juice is transferred to stainless steel tanks where it remains for 48 hours at 8ºC for decanting. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks at 14ºC for 30 days. Aging: 85% of the blend was matured in stainless steel vats, with occasional lees stirring. 15% of the blend was fermented and aged in used French oak barrels, with occasional lees stirring for three 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 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.

The grapes, chosen from selected plots, are taken to the winery in 22 kg plastic boxes. On arrival in the winery they are rigorously inspected on a sorting table. The grapes are then destemmed and pressed. The juice is transferred to stainless steel tanks where it remains for 48 hours at 8ºC for decanting. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 14ºC for 30 days. Ageing:3 months in stainless steel vats, with occasional lees stirring.