2007 Port & Douro Vintage

Apart from a dry January, winter was wet and the water table amply replenished for the season ahead, while Decanter's April 2009 declaration report described a drier than average winter and a cool, damp late spring. There were few early spring frosts and bud-burst came early, at the beginning of a sunny March. Unsettled weather in May disrupted fruit set in some locations, and June and July remained unsettled, delaying the onset of ripening and exacerbating anxieties over mildew. Grapes remained green right into August, but the weather was now much drier and ripening was able to pick up pace; Decanter's declaration report says the vintage was saved by a dry August which, although also cool, allowed the fruit to mature properly. In September the temperatures soared, and ripening was continuous and consistent right up until harvesting began, around 10 days later than usual, at the end of September. Picking continued into October under clear, blue skies. Overall yield is down.

• Winter wet apart from a dry January; described as drier than average in Decanter's 2009 declaration report
• Early bud-burst in a sunny March; unsettled May weather disrupted fruit set in some locations
• Harvesting began around 10 days later than usual, at the end of September, and ran into October

Several Port houses, including the Symington and Sogrape brands as well as Niepoort, had declared the 2007 vintage by April 2009, with others expected to follow. Sogrape Vinhos declared its 2007 Sandeman, Offley and Ferreira. Adrian Bridge, managing director of the Fladgate Partnership (Taylor's, Fonseca, Croft and Delaforce), said he was pleased with the quality but would not say whether the wines would be declared, as the partners traditionally declare on 23 April, St George's Day. Christian Seely, managing director of Quinta do Noval, said Noval had not yet declared. Vintage Port can only be declared with the authorisation of the Instituto do Vinho Porto (IVP), and producers must wait at least a year after the harvest to assess the wine and its quantity. Decanter's later vintage guide calls 2007 widely declared.

• Symington and Sogrape brands and Niepoort had declared by April 2009
• Sogrape: 2007 Sandeman, Offley and Ferreira
• The Fladgate Partnership and Quinta do Noval had not yet declared at the time of that report

"The vintage is very, very good," Dirk Niepoort told Decanter, finding it less structured and less powerful than 2003 but more delicate and harmonious, and long-lived; when pressed, he said he might compare 2007 with 1994. Johnny Symington of Dow's said the cooler conditions led to "one of the best years we have seen for Touriga Nacional", a variety that suffers if exposed to excessive heat, and Decanter reported that the final blend would be over half Touriga Nacional. "The wines are showing a wonderful quality, assuring a long life and great evolution," said Sogrape winemaker Luis Sottomayor. Decanter's vintage guide describes these as not blockbuster Ports, as the vintage was not hot enough for that, but very elegant wines with a subtle power of their own, typically with intense violet and raspberry aromas. It credits the cooler than usual summer with superb acidity and good colour extraction thanks to the grapes' soft skins, describes tannins as fine yet sweet and rich, and expects the vintage to be exceptionally long-lived (15+ years). The guide says Touriga Nacional benefited from the more temperate ripening, while Barocca struggled a little to reach its full potential. Decanter's best wines list names Dow's, Fonseca, Gould Campbell, Graham, Quinta de la Rosa, Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Noval, Quinta do Vale Meao and Taylor.

• Niepoort: less structured and less powerful than 2003, but more delicate and harmonious
• Decanter's guide: violet and raspberry aromas, superb acidity, fine yet sweet and rich tannins
• Touriga Nacional benefited from the temperate ripening; Barocca struggled a little (Decanter)