2013 Port & Douro Vintage

It was a real Douro winter: good levels of rain fell through the last quarter of 2012, January and February 2013 were very wet, and March brought 176 mm, the heaviest rainfall for 12 years and more than three times the average, damaging roads and vineyard terraces. Coming after two drought years with 40 percent less rainfall than average, that rain gave Symington's vineyards an abundant supply of water. April at Quinta do Bomfim averaged 13.8 C against a mean of 15 C, and May 16 C against 18.4 C, so the vines were at least 10 days late by early June. Just 4.6 mm of rain fell at Pinhao in June, July and August, effectively no rain for 12 weeks, although those months were only marginally warmer than average. Forest fires were a daily feature on the horizon as woodlands were tinder dry across Portugal, and young vines had to be watered, many by hand. September began with maturation still some 10 days behind recent years, and rain on 5 September, 14 mm at Malvedos and 13 mm at Bomfim, was more than had fallen in the previous three months. Symington fixed Port picking for 19 September at Quinta do Vesuvio and Senhora da Ribeira in the Douro Superior, and for the 23rd at its other vineyards. On 23 September the long-range forecast showed Atlantic rainstorms arriving on Friday 27th, so Charles Symington changed the picking order and sent pickers into the Touriga Nacional, Souzao and Vinha Velha vineyards over five sunny days. Rain came late on the Friday, although sparingly in the eastern part of the valley, and the unsettled weather persisted until 3 October. Fine dry weather returned from 4 October and continued until 13 October, by which time all of Symington's best vineyards had been picked. Decanter described the growing season as sunny and dry, with rain during harvest affecting overall quality. The harvest began quite late, and at the end of September the weather broke and it rained on and off, forcing many to pick earlier than planned.

• March: 176 mm of rain, the heaviest for 12 years and more than three times the average
• Cool April and May at Quinta do Bomfim; vines at least 10 days late by early June
• Just 4.6 mm of rain at Pinhao in June, July and August
• Rain from late on 27 September, unsettled until 3 October; Symington's best vineyards picked by 13 October

Decanter described Quinta do Noval's June 2015 release of 2013 vintage Port as a "very small quantity," fewer than 1,200 cases and less than 3 percent of the total production of its 143 hectares of vineyards, bucking the general trend of non-declaration by major Port houses. Managing director Christian Seely said there was "no hesitation" in declaring and described the style as "elegant, pure, aromatic, perfectly harmonious and typical of the Quinta do Noval vintage style." At that point major houses had not declared the 2013 vintage, but Fonseca Guimaraens, an earlier-drinking style made in years when a classic vintage is not declared, was set to release a 2013. Noval and Pocas declared.

• Quinta do Noval: fewer than 1,200 cases, less than 3 percent of the production of its 143 hectares
• Fonseca Guimaraens: set to release a 2013, the style made when a classic vintage is not declared
• Noval and Pocas declared

Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca coped with the prolonged summer drought and still nurtured fine bunches of ripe berries, their well-established roots drawing water and nutrients from deep in the soil. The lagares fermented during the five sunny days before the rain were, in Symington's words, "really exceptional, with wonderful colour and aromas," among them two at Senhora da Ribeira made from Souzao and Touriga Nacional. Barroca and Roriz were picked during the unsettled days, and their tougher skins and higher Baumes did not suffer much, though lower-lying and more enclosed vineyards needed careful work by the pickers and on the sorting tables. Touriga Franca, picked once dry weather returned on 4 October, gave excellent colour with berries in very good condition, and the higher Touriga Nacional vineyards, 300 to 450 metres up, came in at 13 and 14 degrees Baume.

• Touriga Nacional, Souzao and Vinha Velha plots picked first, ahead of the rain
• Barroca and Roriz picked in the unsettled days; tougher skins did not suffer much
• Touriga Franca from 4 October; high Touriga Nacional at 13 and 14 degrees Baume

Decanter's Port vintage guide calls 2013 a good year for single-quinta Ports, to drink 2023 to 2040, with some excellent wines made at the start of the harvest, especially in the Douro Superior, which escaped the September rain. The guide's best wines include Fonseca Guimaraens, Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta do Noval, Quinta do Seixo, Quinta do Vesuvio and Quinta dos Canais. Decanter's 2015 report added that vineyards picked early in the harvest generally offered the best potential.

• Decanter's guide: a good year for single-quinta Ports, drink 2023 to 2040
• Douro Superior escaped the September rain
• Decanter's best wines include Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta do Seixo and Quinta dos Canais