2015 Port & Douro Vintage

Symington's own harvest report called 2015 an exceptional viticultural year in the Douro. Quinta do Bomfim, in the heart of the Alto Douro, registered just 359 mm of rain in the 11 months to the end of September 2015, 44 percent below the 21-year average. The little rain that did fall came in May and June, steady and prolonged, the right sort for the Douro. March to June was simultaneously the hottest and driest period for 36 years, and flowering and veraison came 8 to 10 days earlier than normal. In the Douro Superior, which unusually had more spring rain than the other sub-regions, the growing season was likewise the hottest and driest for 36 years. July and August were then cooler than average, which Symington judged of extraordinary benefit to the vines, since normal August heat would have brought dehydration and raisining. Cool nights did wonders for natural acidity, and the bunches were in really excellent condition by early September. The harvest started earlier than normal, and at Dow's Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira it began on 8 September. After 10 weeks with no meaningful rain, heavy rain fell on 15 September and the morning of the 16th: 77 mm at Quinta da Cavadinha, 52 mm at Bomfim, 63 mm at Quinta dos Malvedos and 27 mm at Quinta do Vesuvio. A strong wind dried the grapes, and Charles Symington halted picking in the family's best vineyards until 21 September. The days that followed were sunny and calm until the weather broke on 4 October, and Symington expects those 13 days to be seen as the key to the year's great Ports. Yields were somewhat below the already small Douro average, with 25 percent less Touriga Franca at Bomfim, just 1.05 kg per vine, and low yields overall.

• Quinta do Bomfim: 359 mm of rain in the 11 months to end September 2015, 44 percent below the 21-year average
• March to June the hottest and driest period for 36 years; flowering and veraison 8 to 10 days early; July and August cooler than average
• Heavy rain on 15 and 16 September, from 27 mm at Quinta do Vesuvio to 77 mm at Quinta da Cavadinha; picking paused until 21 September
• Yields somewhat below the Douro average; Touriga Franca at Bomfim down 25 percent to 1.05 kg per vine

Decanter's vintage guide describes 2015 as a hot year declared as a vintage by a handful of shippers, with the majority opting for single-quinta or second label wines. For Dirk Niepoort, Decanter reports, 2015 was "as perfect as it gets". Niepoort and Ramos Pinto both declared in preference to 2016. Symington declared the Cockburn's 2015 Bicentenary Vintage Port and Graham's 2015 Stone Terraces Vintage Port, and in April 2017 announced the Quinta do Vesuvio and Dow's Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira 2015 Vintage Ports, from two of the Douro Superior's most remote vineyards.

• Niepoort and Ramos Pinto declared 2015 in preference to 2016
• Symington: Cockburn's 2015 Bicentenary and Graham's 2015 Stone Terraces Vintage Ports
• Symington single-quinta releases: Quinta do Vesuvio and Dow's Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira

Decanter judged 2015 wonderful for Touriga Franca, a variety that enjoys heat and is generally picked late, and Charles Symington said on 5 October 2015: "The Franca lagares have been spectacular." Symington called the Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca picked in the weeks of 21 and 28 September simply extraordinary, as were some old mixed plantings. The rain had softened the skins, allowing colour and flavours to merge in the wine. At Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, the Touriga Nacional from the east-facing Vinha Grande and the Touriga Franca from the south-facing Vinha da Pedreira were picked towards the end of the month and combined with some Sousao in the estate's lagares. At Quinta do Vesuvio, Touriga Nacional from the Vinha Nova and Raposa vineyards was picked from 21 September, with Touriga Franca from the Vale da Teja vineyards a week later. Vesuvio makes all its Ports in granite lagares built in 1827, and during the 2015 vintage 50 people trod grapes for up to three hours at the end of each day's picking.

• Decanter: 2015 wonderful for Touriga Franca, a heat-loving, late-picked variety
• Quinta do Vesuvio: Touriga Nacional picked from 21 September, Touriga Franca a week later; trodden in 1827 granite lagares
• Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira: picking began 8 September; the best Nacional and Franca waited until late in the month

Decanter's guide judged that those who waited to harvest produced more structured wines showing ripeness and concentration, and, apart from a handful of classic declarations, called 2015 a single-quinta year with some outstanding wines, the best of which will stand the test of time. It rates the vintage 4 out of 5, marks it to keep, and suggests drinking from 2030 to 2045 plus, with single-quinta Vintage Ports from 2025. Its best wines of the year include Cockburn, Fonseca Guimaraens, Graham's The Stone Terraces, Niepoort, Niepoort Bioma, Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta do Noval, Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta Senhora da Ribeira and Ramos Pinto. Symington's own release describes the Senhora da Ribeira Port as exceptionally intense and purple-black, with deep complexity, fine tannins and balanced acidity, and the Vesuvio as exceptionally complex, concentrated and elegant.

• Decanter: 4 out of 5; drink from 2030 to 2045 plus, single-quinta Vintage Ports from 2025