Following a succession of very hot and dry years in the Douro, the 2021 growth cycle and harvest were some of the coolest in recent years. While large areas of Europe experienced extreme heat (with July being the hottest ever recorded in the continent), the Douro experienced an unusually cool summer with none of the heat waves that have become common in the region. Moderate conditions in 2021 encouraged slower, gradual maturations with balanced ripening, while the harvest itself was defined by three key periods of rain impacting our picking schedule. The remarkably cool nights contributed to excellent acidity and very good colour in the wines. The 2021 harvest was drawn out over six weeks, contrastingly sharply with that of 2020, which lasted less than a month.