This is truly one of the most interesting threads and we can discuss this for eons as there are so many different dynamics involved, we can explore and continue to find new topics within this one.
Andy wrote:
Yeap, IIRC, it took about 16 days to build a 16' section of terrace in the old days! Thats a lot of manual labor considering how many Kilometers of old terraces there are to rebuild.
I am not sure where this information came from but it reminds me of a mention about terracing from Suckling's book on Vintage Port (I read that book more times than I care to admit) which mentioned that it took two men, two full weeks to repair a stone wall in a terrace that was about 10 feet high and 20 feet in length. I am pretty sure that was the dimensions, but regardless, it takes a long time to do so and there are few artisans around to still do this type of work. I find the minutia involved in the tiny topic of terracing in the Douro, absolutely fascinating. I long ago thought about doing a book on this topic, as I have done my share of research on it, but then realized it would probably sell only 3 or 4 copies.
Anyway, Derek's comments on the "dead terraces" or
moratórioswhich are the vineyards that were left after Phylloxera and never replanted ... part due to money, part due to labor and part due to superstition ... along with his belief that there is a lot of unused vineyard land that could be utilized, is quite interesting. Of course, the patamares are more practical and easy and inexpensive to build compared to the overhauling of the moratórios. However, the quantity of vines per hectare of patamares is about half (3,300 vph versus about 6,000) of what traditional terracing methods would allow for. That is why vinha ao alta was devised. Not only to allow for planting vertically on semi-steep situations, but to increase the vines per hectare to about 5,000.
Fascinating topic and I hope we can continue the diversity of layers here.
One more thought on the original subject:
Since the Wine Spectator did their very recent article on the Douro table wine revolution and late in the first quarter of 2007, Mark Squires' article and reviews of the Douro wines will appear for the first time in the Wine Advocate, (Robert Parker's periodical) there seems to be a massive snow ball effect taking place that is even bigger than one year ago, not to mention five years or a decade ago when people first started to take notice.
With the Douro red wines getting annual coverage, it is not too much of a stretch to realize that it is plausible for the Douro table wines to eclipse the small amount of media coverage that Port production currently receives. When ...
not IF ... this happens, will great Portmakers like the Dirk van der Niepoort, Cristiano van Zeller, the couples: Moreira and Borges etc... be able to stay as focused on Port?
With declarations of Port coming 3-4x per decade, not to mention more frequent releases of their LBVs, SQVPs and Tawnies ... how will they find the time to manage both Port and table wine production in the future? Is the answer to have different winemaking teams for each? I am certainly aware that this takes place at some of the fine producers like Quinta do Crasto and Niepoort today ... but do you think this would become even more specialized where there is little crossover between Portmakers and the oenologists responsible for the table wines?
Keep your opinions coming ... as I have a feeling this topic will keep going like the Energizer bunny.