The winter of 2001 will no doubt be remembered for the extraordinary amount of rain that was experienced and the damage caused by the deluge which continued for five months. Bud burst took place in mid March earlier than usual, due to higher than average temperatures throughout the winter. Flowering took place in May close to normal dates as vineyard development was slowed down, due to mild weather conditions in early spring. In mid June an excessively hot period brought about a significant reduction in crop size. Temperatures throughout the summer were not excessive and useful amounts of rain were experienced throughout July and August, maturation taking place under favorable conditions in the lagares.

Very dark ruby color. The Touriga Nacional’s tiny yields brought great concentration to the wine, while the Touriga Franca, due to the good weather during the harvest, achieved perfect ripening, creating wines of great elegance. The Tinta Barroca was very ripe at the time of picking, with a higher than average baumé, producing wines of excellent structure and ageing potential. The old plantings of Tinta Roriz had lower than normal yields in 2001, giving wines with a typical concentration of berry fruit aromas.