2010 Weather and Growing Conditions

[Tom Archer]

The Pro forecasters are constantly required to make predictions when they simply don't know; and it is very difficult to map the path of weak weather systems, or judge whether a covering of cloud will precipitate rain.

The more mediocre the weather, the harder it is to predict. Storms, on the other hand, can be followed and predicted with a fair degree of accuracy.

Tom

[Roy Hersh]

Last night they said it was going to pour here today. Cloudy and cooler (still warm though) but not a drop of precipitation all day. They should all be fired.

[Tom Archer]

Hurricane Danielle has just been uprated to Category 4 status, and is now projected to tear across the Atlantic next week.

If it remains on warm water, it could do serious damage when it makes landfall.

Follow this link: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphic ... k#contents

Tom

[Symington Family]

Fairly heavy showers in Porto last night but they didn't manage to climb over the Marão! Forecast is for warming up over the weekend. We'll see what next week brings.
Dom symington
(and FCP still managed to win their match!!!)

[Roy Hersh]

The great Marão preserve the vineyards in the same way as our Cascades here in Washington State. Seattle on one side can have dozens of days of continuous "rain" whilst the Columbia Valley remains desert dry. Stressing the vines is one thing, creating dormancy of the vines and raisining of the grapes, quite another. Time for a harvest rain dance ... like the tribes used to do here in the PNW.

[Al B.]

Then again, even PRO weather forecasters are accurate only about 33% of the time, not much better than an excellent baseball player at bat. How they get to keep their job when they are typically wrong 2/3s of the time is beyond me.

Hey! Easy now! Those odds are probably better than my chances of spotting two identical ports put in front of me out of a range of 10 glasses...

[Roy Hersh]

Or the chance of me picking out a 1927 Fonseca blind in front of a group of friends in the UK.

[oscarquevedo]

We are getting closer to the beginning of the harvest. Some producers have already started harvesting white grapes. Red grapes shall start over this week in the dryer and warmers vineyards. The same for us in Mós, somewhere between Vesúvio and Vale Meão. If the weather helps, we will start next Thursday, one week later than last year.

Yesterday night it finally rained in Pesqueira, not that much but enough to bring temperatures dramatically down. We are now with 14 º C, overcast, and threatening rain at any moment.

[Andy Velebil]

Oscar,
I assume you would rather not have rain at this point? or would a little rain be good?

I also heard today Quinta do Tedo has also started picking some grapes.


HARVEST HAS BEGUN!

[Al B.]

...Red grapes shall start over this week in the dryer and warmers vineyards...

Oscar,

Out of curiosity, is there a different harvest time for red grapes coming from the same part of a quinta if used for wine production compared to red grapes used for port production?

Alex

[oscarquevedo]

Oscar,
I assume you would rather not have rain at this point? or would a little rain be good?

I also heard today Quinta do Tedo has also started picking some grapes.

Hi Andy, this rain is helping the vineyards where harvest starts in late September. For the grapes we were planing to harvest next Thursday probably it's not beneficial... We are now considering to start only on Saturday in this vineyard.

Oscar,

Out of curiosity, is there a different harvest time for red grapes coming from the same part of a quinta if used for wine production compared to red grapes used for port production?

Alex

Alex, there is some difference, specially in dryer and warmer vineyards. Grapes for wine production are collected few days before, when the sugar level is lower and acidity and freshness higher. In few years you're all able to make wine in the Douro!!!

[Derek T.]

HARVEST HAS BEGUN!

I'm not sure why but when I read Andy's post the image of Howard Keel singing Oh What a Beautiful Morning at the beginning of Oklahoma sprung into my head

[Tom Archer]

I'm not sure why but when I read Andy's post the image of Howard Keel singing Oh What a Beautiful Morning at the beginning of Oklahoma sprung into my head

I know it rained a lot last winter, but are the vines up to an elephant's eye?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp5HCDGJ ... re=related

You'll be traipsing round the Douro in a surrey with a fringe on top next - reins in one hand, port bottle in the other..

Tom

[Andy Velebil]

Looks like some decent rain fell.

This from the Quevedo Facebook page

Beginning of the harvest rescheduled for next Saturday due to the rain in the Douro valley

and this from Paul Symington on the Graham's Facebook Page

It rained early this morning in the Pinhao valley. We have had no rain at all in July and August. 8 weeks without a drop of rain is a long time. The mature vines are looking very well after the wet winter. But the vines planted in March, with their young roots, would have needed another hand watering very soon. My youn...g Touriga Nacional is very happy this morning. Paul

[Andy Velebil]

Christian Seely posted an update on his blag about Noval and Romaniera. They too have begun harvest...

http://www.christianseely.com/

[Tom Archer]

Just when everything was looking set fair and promising, the weather has started to unravel..

A small-ish and disorganised weather system has formed between the Canaries and Madeira, and now looks likely to bring some rain to the Douro during the latter part of this week. It may not be very substantive, but is causing enough concern for some growers to bring forward their harvesting plans.

A broad band of rain bearing cloud is currently in mid atlantic, and will probably reach the UK and France in a few days time. Whether it reaches further south to Iberia is uncertain at this point, but it can't be ruled out.

Further afield, hurricane Igor is now making the news as it reaches Cat 4 strength and heads directly for Bermuda. However, of much greater concern to the growers is tropical storm Julia, which has recently formed and is currently projected to head into the mid atlantic, staying far from the Americas.

This system, or its remains, is likely to arrive in europe before Igor, and if it reaches Iberia may do so at the worst possible time. There's a sporting chance that the jet stream will pull it north and out of harm's way however.

- Everyone keep fingers firmly crossed!

Tom

[Andy Velebil]

Just when everything was looking set fair and promising, the weather has started to unravel..


Tom

That's not good...

While a little light sprinkle or two generally isn't too bad, a lot could be a big issue. Lets hope all goes well!

[Derek T.]

Just back from a couple of days at Malvedos. The vines are looking absolutely fantastic, really healthy. Maturity is still a little delayed and another few days will make a huge difference ... You had better start saving!!!!
All the best

Dom

[Andy Velebil]

Just back from a couple of days at Malvedos. The vines are looking absolutely fantastic, really healthy. Maturity is still a little delayed and another few days will make a huge difference ... You had better start saving!!!!
All the best

Dom

at least I've got 2 years to save up some money

[Andy Velebil]

Check out Oscar's updated website for some info
http://quevedoportwine.com/

and also the Graham's Blog for some cool nerdy info about trials to combat the European Grapevine Moth and a tail of a wild boar who apparently isn't fond of lush green grass
http://malvedos.wordpress.com/