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Harvest underway at Quinta do Vesúvio
(Image credit: Symington Family Estates)

When, in mid-July 2022, the highest temperature ever recorded in Portugal (47ºC) was measured in Pinhāo, in the heart of the Douro Valley, few thought the year would yield wines of note. However, the harvest brought in healthy, small berries, showing remarkable flavour definition and a surprising freshness.

After two years in the cellar, some of the Douro’s leading Port houses acknowledged the singularity of their best plots by announcing the release of several Vintage single-quinta and special vineyard selections from the troubled year.

With insights from head winemakers and master blenders, the extended overview of the growing season and its intriguing, perhaps surprising, outcome raises interesting questions about the ongoing shifts within the Port trade, the challenges of climate change and the sometimes competing priorities behind Vintage declarations.

Above all, it delves into the remarkable wines produced in the scorching year. Quinta do Noval’s Nacional confidently stands out; the storied plot produced a beautiful wine, with depth and concentration offset by mineral precision. Its drinkability upon release is outstanding but the wine will surely improve in decades to come.

Other wines of note include the fifth edition of Capela do Vesúvio – hailing from three small plots within the Vesúvio estate and truly evocative of schist soils, wild herbs and summer rains – and the inaugural release of Taylor’s Sentinels.

For those sceptical about the dynamism of the Port industry, the 2022 Vintage is a good rebuttal.

Producers were able to assert the singularity of their best vineyards and celebrate the resilience of both vines and men through wines that despite – or rather, while – swerving the paradigm of a ‘classic’ Vintage display the specific allure of their parent micro-terroirs.

Read the full overview, scores and tasting notes for Vintage Port 2022 – now on Decanter Premium

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(Image credit: Credit Unknown)
Ines Salpico
Ines Salpico
Editor

Ines is Decanter’s regional editor for Spain, Portugal and South America. Born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, she grew up chasing her grandfather among his vines in Ribatejo and thus her love for all things wine began. After completing her Masters Degree in Architecture, Ines worked as a project manager while writing about wine and doing cellar consulting on the side. After moving to London in 2015, she decided to dedicate herself fully to the wine industry and joined the sommelier team at Michelin-starred Spring, Somerset House. Stints at Noble Rot and The Laughing Heart followed, while completing her WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits. Her work as a judge and writer eventually became her full time commitment and she joined Decanter in 2019 as wine database editor.