2019

The 2019 Douro harvest report

It is easy for visitors to the Douro to assume that our region is one where change happens slowly, if at all. We produce wines in a region of exceptional beauty, with hillsides sculpted by stone terraces built generations ago and unforgiving vineyards still predominantly harvested by hand. However, a closer look shows a region that is experiencing accelerating rates of change across all dimensions – social, economic, viticultural and environmental. The 2019 harvest marks another important milestone in our region’s transition to a new era – both challenging and exciting.

The Douro has been experiencing demographic decline for more than 15 years, with young people naturally looking beyond the extremely demanding job of a winemaker to alternative careers. As a result, and the welcome Portuguese tourism boom which offers good employment opportunities, it has been increasingly difficult to find seasonal workers at harvest time. Unlike easily mechanizable vineyards in other wine regions, the Douro has more than 42,000 hectares (103,785 acres) of mountain vineyards (representing 52% of the world total). We face a considerable challenge if there are not enough people to bring the grapes into the winery at harvest time. The previous two vintages saw yield deficits, but 2019 was a bigger year, more in line with average, and many properties struggled to find enough people to choose from.

At Symington we employ many people during the vintage and will continue to do so. We have over 1,000 hectares (2,472 acres) of prime Douro vineyards, much of it on narrow stone terraces with steep slopes that can only be harvested by hand. However, in anticipation of the labor shortage, we have been pioneers over the past 7 years in the development of a mechanical harvester designed for mountain vineyards. The 2019 harvest was the 4th year of testing with the Symington-Hoffmann harvester, which performed well on terraces in several of our Quintas and far exceeded expectations. There are still challenges to overcome, in particular the adaptation of some of our vineyards to accommodate the harvesters. Nevertheless, I believe we have a viable solution to one of the great problems facing the future of our region. It is clear that the labor challenge must be addressed for all Douro farmers, as such an investment could be prohibitive for many. We will share the results of our trials and help relevant institutions explore solutions for the region.

It is important to note that comparative blind tastings of wines made from hand-picked grapes and harvester-picked grapes continue to show that they are of equal quality. I'm particularly excited that the harvester gives us an edge in picking at the right time, rather than being dependent on increasingly complex logistics with shrinking picking crews. The ability to quickly adapt to vineyard conditions allows us to take more risks in the pursuit of even higher quality.

Our company has clearly called for a reform of the outdated quota system for Port grapes which has had a negative impact on the prices that farmers receive for the grapes they sell for Douro wines (sales below the cost of production in almost all cases). We were pleased that the market price of Douro wine grapes increased significantly in 2019, although this was likely due to the previous two low yielding harvests meaning demand was higher (with many producers looking to increase their stocks), rather than a permanent change. Without a new regulatory system covering Port and the Douro DOC, the imbalance will persist – farmers will suffer financially and the exciting Douro wine scene will be built on a false and dangerously unsustainable cost foundation.

BORDEAUX VINTAGE 2019

When I visited Bordeaux in early March, Corona was a threat on the horizon and France was more concerned about an air traffic control strike. However, I was traveling to Bordeaux and had the chance to get a first taste of the 2019 vintage. I was looking forward to the en primeur tastings which were scheduled for March 26, 2020 but the tastings were canceled mid-March . I immediately contacted the different associations and wineries in Bordeaux and asked for samples.

The result was a small number of wines that arrived in Essen before France's lockdown made shipping rather difficult. These first samples of the 2019 vintage were tasted in impeccable conditions to ensure a fair and equal evaluation of all qualities. In fact, the samples proved that the opinion of certain Bordeaux personalities was right. Bruno-Eugène Borie of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou sees 2019 in line with the excellent vintages of 2016, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

Henri Lurton talks about his best vintage, as well as 2016, that he has ever vinified at Château Brane-Cantenac. Philippe Dhalluin of Château Mouton-Rothschild believes that the vintage is rich and abundant in quality and also in quantity. After a few smaller harvests, they returned to average production.

Emmanuel Cruse of Château d’Issan sees that 2019 has a lot in common with 2016 while preserving more freshness. It is a very good vintage but appearing at a very difficult time on the market. In fact, the start of this vintage was very positive. Soils like chalk and clay retained enough precipitation during the winter. Vineyards on these water-retaining soils had a huge advantage in the future growing period. With the exception of a wet June, the vintage benefited from a rather dry climatic situation, which made it possible to largely avoid diseases in the vines. No chance for powdery or downy mildew. Even the heat waves did not really harm the vines as the rain set in, always at the last moment but always early enough to avoid massive water stress and a slowdown in maturity. The late physiological maturity brought a lot of alcohol, but the wines show more freshness than in previous years.

Fabien Teitgen, Winemaker from Smith-Haut-Lafitte, associates this freshness with the good acidity “due to the cool night temperatures during the ripening period”. This fact is also good news for white wines. “They are the big surprise,” confides Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier.

At Château Coutet de Barsac, Philippe and Aline Baly harvested in three passes totaling 19 days of harvest. They judge the conditions to be rather ideal: “These climatic conditions generated a harvest whose quality is undeniably present. » The same samples made their way to Essen and I tasted them. More samples are being announced and will hopefully arrive during the current week. There will be a weekly update of my tasting notes, whenever the samples arrive.

Unfortunately, 2019 is coming in a difficult time, the Corona virus is scaring the world and making business more and more difficult. Commercial bays and new customs duties create a difficult environment for this vintage. However, we must not forget one thing: magnificent 2019s await us, wines with aging potential and charm that will survive all crises.

“2019 is ‘the perfect storm’ of a vintage,” said Laurent Drouhin of top negociant house Drouhin, which owns vineyards in many parts of Burgundy. “We keep smiling because some wines will be great.” The mix included the hottest temperatures since the time of the Black Death 700 years ago (!), frost in April, rain in June, and no rain for nearly four months.

Drouhin’s harvest started on time on Sept. 13, and Laurent’s winemaking brother Frederic reports, “The first reds show an intense and beautiful color, good concentration, great balance and acidity and depth. The whites also show good richness with balance.” It’s a great year for reds, with slightly higher alcohol than usual.

The downside is very low yields. In just one April night, frost destroyed about 30% of the crop in Macon, though what’s left is making wines with good acidity and aromas.

Export company Le Serbet gathered reports from 65 producers in its portfolio, and head of marketing Peter Wasserman says the loss of grapes varies from vineyard to vineyard; in some places it may be as much as 50% to 60% lower than normal. Northern appellations such as Gevrey-Chambertin seem to have done best, down only 10%.

With less wine, you might predict even higher prices, but producers worry that this would drive away consumers.

The 2019 growing period posed many challenges following budbreak in early April, which brought severe spring frosts that took their toll on the vineyards. Early summer was variable, with powdery mildew becoming a serious threat. The summer season saw two heatwaves in June and July, with a record-breaking temperature of 42.9°C measured on July 25th. As a consequence, scalding destroyed some 10% of the expected harvest. The warm and sunny weather continued throughout August and September, bringing concentration and richness. Cool nights were crucial in helping the grapes retain their fresh acidity. Chardonnay was more problematic in 2019, due to its susceptibility to powdery mildew. A slightly smaller crop was picked, commencing September 2nd. On paper, the potential alcohol level was slightly up from 2019 and the acidity a little higher (average total acidity was 6.8 g/l), thus the balance looks excellent. Initial tasting confirms good tension and fine purity in the wines. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, tasting of the 2019 base wines on a larger scale has not been possible. Thus, judgement is reserved for the time being.

Despite Extreme Weather, 2019 Is a “Perfect Storm” Vintage for Wine

The harvest was “near perfect” in Napa and Sonoma—and in some places in France, where lower quantities will make bottles even more sought-after. But not everyone is was left with a good taste in their mouths.

“This is turning out to be a near perfect harvest,” emailed Dan Petroski of Larkmead Vineyards in Calistoga. “An excellent vintage that will make wines with great structure.” He wrapped up picking late last week after working 20-hour days. A warm, late summer, followed by a cooling trend and a touch of rain last week, created ideal conditions. Whites are already fermenting, and the cabernet harvest is underway up and down the valley, according to Napa Valley Vintners.

There will be plenty of grapes—probably too many—as both Sonoma and Napa face a grape glut.

Yet the danger of possible power cutoffs could affect how good the wines are. Because downed power lines were blamed for destructive wildfires in 2017 and 2018, utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co. cuts power when fire risk is high. That’s often the case at harvest time, when wineries need electricity to run crushers and temperature-controlled fermentation tanks. For those that lack generators or solar power, an extended outage can bring disaster.

Will Harlan and Cory Empting at Promontory compare it to 1990, feeling it has more flesh and power versus 2018, needing time to reveal itself – “an old soul” of a vintage. For Aita at Colgin, the wines have minerality and real expression of place. They are much more approachable than 2018 in their youth, yet have everything needed to go the distance.

The critics all agree that it’s another very good vintage, but are divided as to whether they prefer 2018 or 2019. For Vinous’s Antonio Galloni, the 2019s are “big, bold wines that show the extroverted side of Napa Valley”. He feels it doesn’t quite have the consistency of a truly great year, such as 2018, with that vintage also offering a little more freshness that he prefers.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW (then still writing for the Wine Advocate) finds 2019 “classic, ripe, plush and beautifully expressive”, feeling – unlike Galloni – that it is more consistent than 2018, both in quality and volumes. For her, the 2018s are more structured with higher acidity, and may well age longer than the 2019s, however the 2019s have a generosity that is more typically Napa – and possibly more inviting.

For Jeb Dunnuck, it’s “another terrific year“ for Napa – “ripe, supple tannins, beautiful sweetness of fruit, and undeniably delicious”. He argues that it is clearly an excellent vintage, but doesn’t quite reach the levels of 2016 or 2013.

Barolo & Barbaresco – Great Vintage

The Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, the association representing almost 500 wineries in Piedmont, Italy, is pleased to release the 2019 Barolo & Barbaresco harvest report. Unlike 2018, which was particularly precocious, 2019 has demonstrated to be a classic vintage, showing signs of good structure, ideal balance, and excellent aging ability. This news comes in anticipation of the Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening event in New York City, February 4th and 5th, 2020, where an array of vintages currently available on the market will be poured for press, trade, and consumers.

The growth year started slowly for Barolo & Barbaresco due to winter weather conditions pushing through February, followed by a period of rain and low temperatures until the middle of March. April brought continued wet conditions with more moderate temperatures and the opportunity for water to accumulate in the soil. Due to this water accumulation and a spike in temperatures during June, rapid plant growth occurred at the beginning of Summer. As a result, vineyard managers were required to pay close attention to protecting the plant from potential health issues. The hottest period in the season was recorded between the last week in June and the first in July, followed by days on which milder temperatures alternated with rain. A second heatwave was recorded at the end of July, ending in intense storms that did not damage the vines; the remainder of the summer season was marked by a mild climate, with regular, sporadic rainfall.

September began with a hailstorm that caused substantial damage in two localized areas on the hills around Alba, missing most of the Barolo & Barbaresco region. Harvest commenced for Nebbiolo during the second half of October and exhibited fruit with good sugar levels and a superb polyphenol profile. The wines can be expected to have brilliant color, excellent structure, and age ability. Overall, 2019 is a traditional vintage with high-quality production despite a slight drop in quantity in comparison to 2018.

“The 2019 harvest hasn’t been abundant, but the quality of grapes is well above average,” confirmed the Consorzio’s technical office, “As a result, we can expect great wines with distinctive character.”

2019 was a year to celebrate the Douro’s remarkably resilient grape varieties in an unusually dry year. Our ability to closely monitor their varying maturation cycles and adjust our picking schedule accordingly meant we were able to deliver the best expression of the different varieties. 

Excellent Vintage in Rioja – the ratification of the qualification as 'EXCELLENT' of the 2019 vintage, a milestone that had not occurred since 2011!

After a vegetative cycle with optimum ripening of the grapes, in recent months extraordinary results have been observed in the evaluation of the fermentation tanks, from which the Council's technicians have collected more than 4,500 samples, which have subsequently been tasted by a panel of 150 professionals.
Pablo Franco, director of the Control Body of the Regulatory Council, took stock of the 2019 campaign, referring to the excellent health and vegetative situation of the vineyard and the state of the bunches, loose, well aerated and accompanied by the moderate vigor of the plants. In Franco's words "the year was marked by the stability in the evolution of the vineyard, not exempt from certain very local incidents produced by meteorological phenomena of little general importance".

Regarding the resulting wines, the director of the Control Body of the Council highlighted their quality, underlining the extraordinary maturation in tannin: “a round and very silky tannin that has marked red wines since their elaboration, which is very pleasantly surprising for manifest itself now and especially for having these sensations in wines with a high polyphenolic load such as this year, where the IPTs define a marked structure, with intense colors. In turn, it is worth highlighting the consolidation of lighter tones in the color of rosé wines, with a predominant aromatic expression towards more floral notes. White wines are very expressive, highlighting their great volume on the palate, in line with what is seen in reds. The commitment to autochthonous varieties and the great evolution of the quality of their elaborations is also valued ”.

In the words of Pablo Franco, “there is no doubt that, according to the behavior of the vineyard and in turn what was discovered in the wines, the 2019 vintage is‘ THE harvest ’. A vintage that reflects the true mastery of time management by winegrowers and winemakers ”.

It should be remembered that the amount harvested in the 2019 harvest was around 385 million kg of grapes (of which 342 were red grapes and 43 were white grapes) and 267.27 million liters of the 2019 harvest obtained the certification as wines protected by the DOCa Rioja (22.11 for white, 12.50 for rosé and 233.08 for red).

Austrian vintage report 2019 - FRUIT-FORWARD & FANTASTIC!

After last year's earliest harvest in history, this year's harvest began at the usual time. And the good weather that greeted the pickers was particularly gratifying, because all the grapes could be brought in according to plan without any element of stress. The warm growing cycle with its dry periods brought excellent maturity to the clusters, as well as average volume, while the cool autumn nights gave excellent fruit and a good acid backbone to the grape material.

The months of January, February and March were much milder than average, in addition to being very dry, without periods of extreme cold like the previous year. Among the early maturing varieties, the buds began to swell at the end of March thanks to the temperate conditions. In April, which was highly variable but mostly warm (1.5°C above the long-term average), only the Steiermark received adequate precipitation, while the coldest May since 1991 delayed the development of vines. This delayed flowering until about ten days later than the previous year – long term view, once again back to normal. Flowering ended relatively quickly in mid-June in all wine-growing regions. The hottest, sunniest and driest June ever (4.7°C above average, since measurements began in 1767) was a month for the history books meteorological; July and August were also exceptionally warm. The summer months have been characterized by several heatwaves with occasional severe thunderstorms and torrential downpours – although fortunately there has been no major hail damage this year.

The harvest went off quite pleasantly thanks to the mild September and the warm month of October: no surprises, everything went as planned.

Our winegrowers were spared from the weather, so there was no need for early pre-harvest or interruptions in procedures once picking began. Beneficial cooling during the nights promoted lively fruit and aromaticity, while preserving the acid structure.

The eater in 2019

Exceptionally mild and very dry start to the year
Start of flowering at a usual time due to the coolness of May
Historically hot and dry summer, some severe thunderstorms but no greater hail damage
Mild September/October with cool nights:
Promotion of lively fruit and aromaticity, preservation of the acid structure
Very good harvest conditions
Harvest: fantastic grape quality, average quantity
 
Niederösterreich

Fully ripened and very healthy grape material
Wines with a pleasant fluidity on the palate with a particularly expressive varietal typicity, a substantial character supported by a moderate alcohol content, good acidity and primary fruit

Burgenland

Exceptional grape quality
Modest juice production, but intense grape aroma
Very aromatic wines with a very good acid structure and aging potential
 
Steiermark

Very healthy grape material, later ripening
Very harmonious, balanced and fruity wines
 
Vienna

Excellent quality grapes
Fine wines, typical of the grape variety with well-integrated acidity

Rhône: Last year the harvest was a week to 10 days earlier; The 2019 start date is back to normal, with the Reds being picked last week. A mild winter helped revive the vines, the cool weather of April and May slowed growth, then came the heat and some sunburned grapes.

Benjamin Gras of Domaine Santa Duc in Châteauneuf-du-Pape says old vines resisted drought better because of their deep roots, and he was surprised by the acidity of the grapes, despite the drought. The grapes are complex, but the lack of rain means there isn't much juice, with yields down 20%.

The Perrin family, owners of Château de Beaucastel and several other organic wineries in the southern Rhône, sent an email: “We are very confident of a great vintage if the harvest ends as it began . » That, of course, is always a big if.

SAUTERNES: 2019, A CONTRASTING VINTAGE

We often hear that there are no more seasons, but it has now become a tangible reality! The climate is now developing extreme conditions with consequences that can be disastrous for our crops. In 2019, fortunately, our vines produced quality but the quantities are very uneven; The yields of sweet wines were strongly impacted by coulure and the Drosophila fruit fly, while the production of dry wine from young vines, unaffected by these scourges, was really generous.

A WARM CHRISTMAS...

After the fall of 2018 which had usual precipitation, the start of 2019 was rather dry. Apart from January 2019, the winter was particularly mild, even reaching 26°C on February 27, which made us fear the possibility of early development of vegetation and the corresponding risks in the event of spring frosts. In March, temperatures became almost summer-like, but the weather changed dramatically on April 1, bringing seasonal squalls and lower temperatures. In mid-April, an icy northerly wind made us fear the damage caused by frost, but, fortunately for us, Climens escaped unscathed. Temperatures then became milder and allowed vegetation growth to restart.

....AND A COLD EASTER

The month of May remained cold and we decided to place bales of hay in the middle of our vineyard plots. Our neighbors having adopted the same strategy, we all lit our fires at 4 a.m. on May 6, thus preventing the frost from causing serious damage even though the temperature had fallen to -4°C. After a few days we felt relieved and were quite happy to observe the very limited damage to the vines and the potential of the future harvest.

Apart from the pale color of the leaves (the cold affects chlorophyll activity), the health status of the vines was good. We then sprayed the vines with sulfur and talc, infusions of fennel, nettles and horsetail, as well as homeopathic doses of copper hydroxide to stimulate the vines.

THE STORM 'MIGUEL' SPOILS THE FLOWERS

The “roller coaster” weather conditions continued until summer kicked off in June, and it was very hot! After falling behind schedule, the growth of the vines was reactivated.

But the situation was going to deteriorate dramatically at the worst possible time, during flowering! The torrential rains of June 5 were a prelude to the arrival of the storm called Miguel two days later, on the 7th, bringing more rain and winds of 105 km/h. Fortunately, we just had time to carry out a biodynamic spraying of the entire vineyard on the 6th to avoid contamination by downy mildew, and the wind did not cause any damage even though we had not finished breeding and to tie the vines.

The rain and cold, however, had very unfortunate results at this stage: severe coulure and millerandage, meaning many flowers could not be pollinated, the rain preventing the floral caps from falling, and the cold accentuating the phenomenon by disrupting photosynthesis.

A LONG AND HOT SUMMER

From the end of June to the end of July, the weather was again extremely hot, but also dry. The growth of the vines has caught up, but very unevenly depending on the plot. Fortunately, there were absolutely no signs of mold and the vineyard remained very healthy. The summer continued hot and sunny, with some very welcome showers which prevented the onset of dry conditions.

TWO SESSIONS FOR DRY WHITE

On August 21, the grapes were barely ripe, but tasting the berries and juice showed them to be fragrant and phenologically interesting. As the acidity had dropped with the summer heat, we decided to start picking for the dry whites, even though the alcohol potential was slightly lower than our expectations. We decided to favor freshness, and preferred to carry out lighter pressings in order to avoid any bitterness transferred from the skins.

The harvest began on August 26 with a small team: 8 pickers and 4 porters, because we maintained the same basket verification system as for sweet wines, the pace being of course much faster. The number of pickers increased to 20 with the arrival of a team from Portugal that we had hired to compensate for the labor shortage in our region (despite the fact that we are very far from full employment!) . The picking always started at sunrise to take advantage of the cool mornings and avoid the heat of the afternoon.