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| Autumn landscape in Celeirós do Douro. |
Autumn. The end of the harvest was marked by the first autumn rains throughout the region, with rainy weather continuing throughout October and temperatures in line with average records.
The vines begin to rest and prepare for a new production cycle. As the sun loses intensity and daylight hours decrease, temperatures drop, vine activity changes, leaves gradually fall, photosynthesis and metabolic activity slows down, they produce less energy, and respiration and growth almost stop, preparing for the winter dormancy period, when the vine rests and recovers. At this stage, the vines stop growing and conserve energy, storing carbohydrates in their roots, trunks, and stems, preparing for growth the following spring and adapting to the colder winter temperatures by reducing the movement of water in their tissues.
However, the wine cycle continues, even after the harvest, work in the vineyards does not stop. It is also time to start planning what comes next, to prepare the land and the vineyards for the next flowering and for the quality of the future harvest. The work of tilling and mobilizing the soil returns, plowing, and sowing the land to plant seeds.
November marks the beginning of the olive harvest season, another traditional and important culture in the region.
At the end of the month, the first pruning work begins in the vineyards, which takes place in the fall and winter months. This is a fundamental operation in the vine cycle, to prepare and ensure good plant development in the coming Spring, production yield, and grape quality. During this work, it is common to see several fires in the vineyards of the estates, using fire to eliminate the woody and other plant material resulting from this activity.
In general, it was an Autumn with mild temperatures (above average, between 3 and 4ºC), exceptionally sunny and with some rain in early and mid-November. It also rained in the last days of November and early December, and from then on, temperatures gradually dropped, heralding the arrival of Winter, with morning frosts appearing in the vineyards.
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| Vineyard in Celeirós do Douro. |
Winter. The cold Winter months are essential for the vineyard’s rest period, when the plants focus on preservation, and also help to control pests and diseases.
In the early days of Winter, after a drop in temperatures in the last days of the year, temperatures were slightly above average, with the “Floriane” depression bringing rain to the entire region until 11 January. From then on, the sun returned and the weather was dry, with temperatures rising significantly for this time of year (for example, on 11 January, the average temperature in Pinhão was 9ºC above average, and the same was true in other areas of the region, generally between 7 and 9ºC above average), only to drop sharply soon after, with frosty dawns, cold days and frost covering the fields (in Vilariça, the minimum temperature was -5.3ºC on 14 January), these are the typical Douro cold days of January. Temperatures rose again at the end of January, with precipitation (the “Hermínia” depression).
In January, the winter pruning ritual continues, the first major task of the year in the vineyards, which can last until March. During this period of vegetative rest, the plant is less sensitive to stress and the risk of pests and diseases is lower. Teams of workers traverse the vineyard landscape, in arduous, difficult work carried out with precision and wisdom, to reduce the vegetative part of the vine. The winegrower chooses the canes that should be left for the following year and those that should be removed (the damaged and unproductive parts) in order to limit natural growth, achieve a more balanced development and ensure the quality of future production.
In mid-February, while the vines rest and the final pruning work continues, the almond trees begin to blossom and fill especially the landscapes of the Upper Douro with colour, heralding the arrival of Spring.
In the vineyards, pruning is followed by “empa” at the end of Winter and Spring, when the vine branches that were selected during pruning are tied to a stake or wire to ensure that the sap is distributed throughout the vine so that all the buds are equally nourished and the plant grows evenly, taking care not to break the branches.
At the end of February and beginning of March, it rained throughout the region, minimum temperatures dropped, and snow fell with some accumulation at the top of the Serra do Marão.
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| Autumn landscape in Celeirós do Douro (2). |
Soon, the first shoots will appear and mark the beginning of a new season of renewal. On 6 March, at Quinta dos Malvedos, the first signs of budding appear on the Touriga Francesa vines, which, as usual, are the first to reveal themselves and start the cycle, despite being one of the last varieties to ripen. At Quinta do Ataíde, budding and the vine growth cycle also began with the first shoots of the year. Before the arrival of Spring, the vines slowly begin to awaken and show signs of life.
From the beginning of March, there was rain throughout the region, heavier from the 5th onwards, which lasted until the middle of the month (as a result of the ‘Jana’ depression), with unstable weather conditions including rain, hail, thunderstorms and snow at the highest points of the Marão.
The Winter months were rainy, and the water stored in the soil will be quite necessary for the development and growth of the vines and to create a reserve for the coming warmer months.
There was a lot of rain in March, more than usual, with precipitation above average throughout the region. It was a month that saw successive storms. Interestingly, it rained more in the Upper Douro than in Cima Corgo (at Quinta do Vesúvio, 118 mm were recorded, more than double the average for March on this estate).
Spring and Summer. The beginning of Spring had a Winter feel to it, with heavy rainfall throughout the region (20, 21 and 22 March), now it was the effects of the ‘Martinho’ depression. From 23 March onwards, the weather was dry and temperatures rose progressively, above average levels, although there was still a wide temperature range.
With the arrival of Spring, the “weeping of the vine” appeared at the end of March, we can witness the awakening of the vine with the release of sap through the cuts made during pruning. The sap begins to circulate as the temperature of the soil rises and the plant gradually begins to resume its activity and start a new growth cycle. Bud break is the first stage of this renewal. It is also a period of risk, when the vine is most sensitive and exposed and therefore requires special attention from the winegrower.
At the end of March and beginning of April, Spring arrives to the vineyard with mild temperatures, gradually longer days and nature in renewal. The first buds begin to break and the fragile leaves reveal and develop themselves. With the first foliage, the landscape begins to come to life and the intense green tones of the first leaves precede flowering, the leaves increasing their absorption of sunlight and providing the vine with the energy it needs to grow and develop.
At the beginning of April, budding is more widespread in the vineyards. Rain has returned to the entire region.
In mid-April, we entered the free leaf phase. The cluster pattern begins to emerge and gradually takes shape. This is a critical stage, especially with unstable weather. At this time, at Quinta de Ventozelo (Cima-Corgo sub-region), the vines were in the phenological stage of separate clusters, which was favoured by rainfall and higher temperatures.
After a rainy March, April was also a rainy month. After the rain stopped (22 April), temperatures began to rise, with maximum and average values higher than usual (between 1 and 3°C).
One of the most notable moments of the wine-growing year occurred in early May, with a period of heat and humidity, ideal conditions for the appearance of mildew in the vineyards. During this period, mildew and powdery mildew appeared in force. The incidence of disease was not the same across the entire region, with the most affected areas being the sub-region of Baixo-Corgo and other higher areas, such as Alijó, Sabrosa and Vila Real.
At this time, in the first half of May, in addition to the extra work involved in treating the vines for mildew and powdery mildew, the work in the vineyard consists of pruning, removing unwanted branches to ensure balanced growth of the leaves and bunches, better aeration and sun exposure, and so that the vine's energy is concentrated on the selected branches.
In May, the vines are in full growth. The shoots lengthen, the leaves spread out, and green covers the vine terraces. It is at this time that the bunches begin to differentiate and we start to get a first preview of the upcoming harvest.
In mid-May, shortly after budding, flowering occurs, a remarkable period in the vine cycle when small flowers begin to appear, which will be fertilised and give rise to the first berries. The next phase in the vine growth cycle is fruit set, the transformation of flowers into fruit, the first sample of this year's grapes. The end of flowering and the beginning of fruit set, when the shoots grow strongly and the first grapes begin to form and grow, took place at the beginning of June. This month, the vines are already in full vegetative growth and a green blanket covers the Douro landscape and the natural cycle of the vineyard continues.
From the second half of May onwards, the weather was dry and temperatures began to rise, peaking on the 28th, when values 6 to 8ºC above average were recorded (on the 29th, the maximum temperature in Pinhão was 38ºC). However, the temperature range remained wide (with a difference of approximately 18ºC). From 9 June onwards, a heatwave was recorded throughout the region.
The vines continue to bear fruit in mid-June, the bunches form and become clearly visible, and it becomes possible to assess the quality potential of the next harvest. It is a phenological stage in which the berries that survived after flowering begin to develop and enter a period of accelerated growth, still green, with high acidity and low sugar levels. This is an important moment in the vine cycle, when factors such as sun exposure, vegetative balance, water availability and vineyard management are decisive and will have a direct influence on the quality of the future harvest.
Working in the vineyard, June is the time to control the vigour of vine growth, trim the tips of the shoots, aerate the bunches and encourage ripening.
There was a heatwave in late Spring, between 15 and 22 June, and warnings were issued to winegrowers to prune their vines and take preventive measures. The maximum temperatures recorded were very high, reaching 41ºC in Pinhão and Vilariça valley (on 17 June) and exceeding 37ºC in various locations of the Douro sub-regions. Hot and dry weather, these high maximum temperatures persisted, exceeding the average values for the month of June. A second heatwave was recorded at the end the month.
At the end of June, the still green berries continue to grow and begin to gain size, body and texture until the bunch closes. Somewhat later than last year, from the beginning of July, with the vines in full vigour and with the sun and heat, the bunches develop and the colour of the berries begins to change and gain colour, especially the red varieties, with the first signs of ripening, the beginning of the veraison phase. The vines concentrated their resources, water and nutrients, in the bunches, preparing them for the next stages of the cycle.
In mid-July, the fire season began in the region, with several forest fires and a major fire in the Sabrosa area that destroyed a large area of forest.
At the end of July, nature follows its rhythm, the vines are in full ripening phase, some grapes still green and others already coloured, and sugar slowly accumulates in the berries. The duration and intensity of this process depend on several factors, such as the grape variety, climatic conditions and soil type. At this important stage of the growing cycle, the viticulture and oenology teams monitor the evolution of the grapes in the field, evaluating parameters such as sugar accumulation, total acidity and pH.
At the end of July and beginning of August, there was a new heatwave and on 5 August, the Douro region recorded the highest temperatures in the country (maximum temperatures recorded: 4th August, in Pinhão, 42,1ºC, in Cambres 41,3ºC and in the Vilariça valley, 41,4ºC).
In summary, until the harvest, it has been an “atypical wine-growing year, both in terms of weather and vegetative cycle of the vine” (ADVID). Flowering was good, but then the vines were badly affected by diseases such as mildew and also sunburn (the grapes were exposed to high temperatures during the heatwaves in June and July) and, as a result, there is a forecast of a drop in grape production.
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| Vineyard in Armamar. |
Harvest season.
Mid-July estimates of a delay in the cycle of around one week did not materialise. As a result, weather conditions, high temperatures, with maximum temperatures between 37 and 40ºC, and the absence of rainfall, proved decisive and accelerated the ripening of the grapes.
The search for the right time to harvest began, with constant monitoring of the ripening process.
Notes from the beginning of the harvest:
Real Companhia Velha, at Quinta das Carvalhas, began harvesting on 13rd August with the Bastardo grape variety and the following day at Quinta do Cidrô with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. On the 16th, at the same estate, they harvested Pinot Noir. On that same date, Quinta do Vallado began harvesting the white Moscatel Galego grapes, which are usually the first to be harvested. Quinta Seara D'Ordens also began harvesting grapes for sparkling wine bases.
Quinta do Crasto began harvesting white grape varieties from the highest plots on 19th August, and the following day Wine & Soul also began harvesting white grapes. At Quinta do Vale Meão in the Upper Douro, the harvest for white wines began on August 23. Also in the Upper Douro, Maritávora began on 20th August.
In Favaios, the Muscat grape harvest began on 20th August. At Quinta do Côtto, in the Lower Corgo subregion, the first Bastardo grapes arrived at the winery on 24th August. At Kranemann Wine Estates, the same Bastardo grape variety was the first to be harvested on 25th August.
At Quinta da Santa Bárbara, owned by Poças Júnior, in Ervedosa do Douro, Quinta da Pedra Alta and Quinta da Pacheca, on 22nd August, the harvest of the white grape varieties Moscatel Galego and Viosinho marked the beginning of the 2025 harvest. At Quevedo, on 23 August, with the harvest of the Viosinho grape variety at altitudes between 250 and 500 metres in the São João da Pesqueira area, one of the earliest white grape varieties in the region, which ripens very quickly.
At Quinta do Vallado, the harvest of the Baga and Alicante Bouschet red grape varieties in the Upper Douro followed on 23rd August. At Ramos Pinto, the first "lagar" of the harvest with Tinta Barroca took place on 26th August. The following day, Churchill's recorded the harvest of white grapes from plot 18 of Quinta da Gricha. On the same day, the harvest of white grape varieties at Quinta do Cume. At Vieira de Sousa, the harvest of white grape varieties began on 28th August. At Quinta do Noval, the first pressing of the harvest took place on 29th August. At Vallegre, the harvest began on 31st August, both at Vista Alegre and Quinta de Valle Longo.
An important moment in the harvest occurred when, between late August and early September, after several weeks of very hot and dry weather, temperatures gradually dropped, milder days and some periods of rain throughout the region (mostly in Baixo-Corgo) created more favourable conditions for the final stages of ripening, with increasing temperature ranges, lower minimum temperatures and cooler nights.
At Quinta da Côrte, harvest of the Viosinho grape variety began on September 2nd At Lavradores de Feitoria, the harvest of red grape varieties began on 9th September. And at Quinta dos Malvedos (Graham’s), the harvest began on 10th September.
By the end of September the harvest was complete for the vast majority of producers in the Douro region, with a few exceptions, a chapter closed after several weeks of extremes and another challenging year.
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| After pressing. |
Conclusions and general comments:
The first significant fact to note about this year's harvest was the drop in production compared to the previous harvest, between 30 and 55%.
It was an irregular wine growing year, atypical and full of contrasts and extremes, with a dry and warm winter that initially delayed the vine's vegetative cycle. Generally speaking, bud break, flowering, and cluster closure occurred later than the average for recent years. Then we had a Spring, especially in March and April, with heavy rain and above-normal precipitation, which caused a high incidence of mildew, mainly in the pre-flowering, flowering, and development stages of the vine, with a major impact on production capacity.
Then a long, very hot, and very dry summer followed, with heat waves, several consecutive days of temperatures around 40ºC in some areas, and sunburn phenomena affected the vines. In July and August, there was some water stress in the vineyards, a second factor responsible for the drop in production this year. Overall, 2025 was a dry year, but still far from the driest past years on record (2005, 2017, and 2022). The high temperatures led to an early start to harvest the white grapes, and soon after this start with high temperatures and hot weather, the first days of September brought milder temperatures and cooler, more favorable conditions that helped the vines to recover, with more gradual and balanced ripening.
But it seems that, despite being a year of low production, it was unexpectedly a year of great quality, with some grape varieties showing remarkable quality, with smaller berries but greater concentration and freshness.
About the wines: vigorous D.O.C. Douro red wines and Port wines that promise to be excellent and even memorable, with firm tannins, intense colors, excellent structure and aromatic intensity, balance, low acidity, and purity of fruit. After the enthusiasm for the Vintage Port wines produced in 2024 (which was said to be a classic Vintage Port year), 2025 also shared this great excitement of the region’s producers for the extraordinary quality of these wines.
Text and photos ©Hugo Sousa Machado
Previous reports and related publications:
Douro 2025 harvest: exclusive comments
