Sogrape declares Vintage 2018 for Ferreira, Sandeman and Offley
After two exceptional years to the category, Sogrape has just announced the declaration of 2018 Vintage for Ferreira, Sandeman and Offley. A harvest year with quite a few challenges, but that will certainly become part of the history of Port Wine.
Luís Sottomayor, head winemaker of Sogrape's Douro and Port wines, signs-off this declaration and recognizes the challenges faced by the winemaking team during a year marked by seemingly adverse weather that proved to be very favourable to the production of Vintage. For him, 2018 was always a very promising and classical year. When the entire Port Wine sector was defending this same trend for 2017, Luís Sottomayor was already optimistic about the enormous potential of 2018 and, from an early stage, was confident about this declaration.
"2018 is one of the best, if not the best Vintage year I have witnessed”, claims Sottomayor. “The special conditions experienced during the 2018 harvest came together to produce wines that combine extraordinary elegance with an unusual structure, thus achieving excellent complexity and balance, with great ageing potential," he said.
The Douro region experienced an extremely dry, cold winter, which had a direct impact in the vineyard and delayed bud burst. Spring was very rainy and wet, delaying maturation further. These conditions gave rise to a few diseases in the vineyard, resulting in some loss of production. Lower yields had a very positive effect, however, on grape concentration and quality. The vineyard coped well through a very hot, dry summer, with an extended maturation of great quality.
The wines produced reflect the authenticity and style of each Port Wine house. Ferreira presents us with a deeply complex Vintage defined by elegance and harmony. Sandeman, on the other hand, has a more structured, robust profile. Finally, Offley showcases its already famous light-hearted character, a young and fruity Vintage, ideal for those who are beginning to explore this category.
Three Vintages with a classic character and an excellent quality are therefore expected for Ferreira, Sandeman and Offley.
