Product Description

Vintage port is made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year and accounts for about two percent of overall port production. Not every year is declared a vintage in the Douro. The decision on whether to declare a vintage is made in the spring of the second year following the harvest. The decision to declare a vintage is made by each individual port house, often referred to as a "shipper".

2003 started out unusually wet in the Douro, with abundant winter rain. Budburst was in March, followed by an unusually damp April, which caused some problems. flowering was at the end of May and weather remained fine during this period. Veraison spread over July and early August. Then came the famous European 2003 August heatwave, although th Symingtons emphasize that it usually gets pretty hot in the Douro during summer. 

Johnny Symington describes the 2003s as ‘extremely opulent, pungent, floral, fruity wines.’ He’s particularly impressed by the aromatics. ‘They’ll last a long time, but they’ll drink well when young: they are the new drinkers’ type of wine’.