The year started in rather a difficult manner; heavy rains during April and May slowed down the flowering and significantly reduced the size of the crop. We measured 7.78 inches in April and 6.65 inches in May in the vineyard compared to our average for these two months of just 2.94 and 3.92 respectively. The fruit that remained however matured under excellent conditions during June and July. In late August we had two days of rain followed by a further rainfall on 11th September. This was exactly what was wanted as it allowed the grapes to swell and the skins were softened. This is of great importance to ensuring good colour extraction when the wine is being made. We started picking at Quinta da Madalena only on the 2nd October, this was rather later than usual, but enabled us to gain maximum benefit from the good weather. The yields were extremely low, but the quality of the fruit was outstanding and the juice was immensely concentrated. It was immediately apparent that the musts had great color and had a most attractive and fresh aroma. Temperature control in the fermentation tanks was not difficult, as the nights were cool.

It is clear that the 2000 wines, one of the smallest vintages for many years, show great power; the color is immense and the tannins are strong. The wine itself displays complex layers of ripe fruit that promise well for the future.