Lower yields but promising quality for Symington’s 2025 harvest
Symington Family Estates has begun its 2025 harvest across its vineyards in the Douro, Alentejo and Vinho Verde. Early signs point to smaller yields but encouraging quality, following a year of extreme weather swings.
Preparations are in motion across Symington Family Estates’ holdings in the Douro, Alentejo and Vinho Verde. According to the group, white grapes are already being harvested in the Douro and Alentejo, while red varieties continue to ripen under the close coordination of viticulture and winemaking teams.
Charles Symington, head winemaker and production director, confirmed that maturation studies have been running since early August to guide picking decisions and provide the first indications of this year’s potential. Yields are expected to be low but quality prospects are promising.
Erratic growing season
Unlike the more moderate cycle of 2024, this year has been marked by greater extremes. December was exceptionally dry, followed by well above average rainfall in January, March and April across all three regions.
March 2025 was the second wettest this century in the Douro, with budbreak taking place in the final week of the month, close to the long-term average. Yet by the end of July, the Douro faced a 34% rainfall deficit, with almost no rain in June or July and four heatwaves, one especially severe.
Early August brought a 10-day heatwave in the Douro, with maximum temperatures consistently above 40°C, exceeding the 7-day heatwave of 2003 when maximums also surpassed 40°C. Similar rainfall deficits were experienced in the Alentejo and Vinho Verde, although peak temperatures were less extreme.
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Smaller berries, good phenolics
Early-season water reserves helped flowering and fruit set, but prolonged heat slowed berry development. Symington reported that berry sizes in the Douro could be up to 30% smaller than average.
Despite this, phenological development is on track. “There are encouraging signs that the overall quality will be very good,” said Charles Symington. Cooler nights and the possibility of light showers in late August are improving conditions for the final stages of ripening of red grape varieties.
Wineries in full preparation
Fonte Souto in the Alentejo has already opened for harvest, while Symington’s boutique Douro wineries are being prepared for the imminent arrival of fruit. The sequence of harvesting different varieties will soon be underway.
This year’s outlook contrasts with 2024, when Symington reported “exceptional” quality in the Douro Valley, with conditions closer to the 30-year average, as revealed by the drinks business.
In 2024, moderate temperatures and well-timed rain supported gradual ripening and a classic sequence of harvests. By comparison, 2025 is set to deliver a smaller crop shaped by climatic extremes but with the potential for excellent wines, provided late-season conditions hold.
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