News · Harvest 2026
By Vinogrande · 6 min read
It started earlier than usual, promised an exceptional year and ended as a race against the heat. What we already know about Portugal's 2026 harvest.
Every year, between August and October, wine-growing Portugal goes through the same frenzy: secateurs, crates, tractors on the terraces, full lagares. In 2026 that calendar shifted. Picking began earlier than usual in several regions and ended under a September of extreme heat. Now that the last grapes are in the wineries, the first reviews are arriving.
We have gathered what official sources and producers are saying. No invented figures: everything here is sourced, with the sources listed at the end.
At a glance
— The IVV forecast around 6.7 million hectolitres, 12% more than in 2025/2026 but still 4% below the average of the last five harvests.
— The forecast pointed to increases of 25% in the Douro and 15% in the Alentejo, Península de Setúbal and Trás-os-Montes; in the Azores, a 20% drop.
— In the Douro, ADVID recorded a harvest around eight days early and yields in line with the historical average.
— Symington speaks of concentrated, deeply coloured wines, with quality above average overall.
The figures
The IVV forecast
In August, Portugal's Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV) estimated that the 2026/2027 campaign would reach about 6.7 million hectolitres, 12% more than the previous one. Even so, it would be around 4% below the five-year average, following a very short 2025 harvest.
| Region | Forecast vs 2025/2026 |
|---|---|
| Douro | +25% |
| Alentejo | +15% |
| Península de Setúbal | +15% |
| Trás-os-Montes | +15% |
| Beira Interior | no change |
| Távora-Varosa | no change |
| Azores | -20% |
According to the IVV, a winter and spring with sufficient rain left good water reserves, and disease pressure was low in most vineyards. In the Azores, the forecast drop is due to fungal disease pressure.
The Douro
A harvest in two halves
In the Douro, ADVID (the Association for the Development of Douro Viticulture) published its final review of the year on 22 October. Temperatures consistently above average brought the harvest forward by around eight days compared with the historical record. In the plots it monitors, average yield was 1.76 kg per vine, in line with the average, and average bunch weight rose by 7%. Analyses showed higher potential alcohol, higher pH and lower total acidity. Even so, ADVID concludes that 2026 has the potential for high-quality wines.
Symington Family Estates describes the year as "a game of two halves". It began picking white grapes on 17 August, a week earlier than in any previous year. The first weeks promised an exceptional vintage. Then came what chief winemaker Charles Symington calls "the hottest September on record in Portugal since 1931", with grapes dehydrating on the vine and Baumé readings sometimes above 15º in the lagares.
"The wines bear the mark of that hot, dry September, in their concentration and colour." Charles Symington
The outcome, according to the same report: production close to average and wines of extraordinary concentration and colour, with quality above average overall.
North to south
Alentejo and Vinho Verde
In the same report, Symington notes that at Quinta da Fonte Souto, in Portalegre, picking began on 3 August, the earliest ever on the estate, and that September's heat considerably reduced red-grape yields. In Monção e Melgaço, at Casa de Rodas, the Alvarinho harvest began on 24 August, three weeks early, and the grapes came in in excellent health.
What now?
What this means for wine lovers
The 2026 wines are still fermenting or ageing. The first whites and rosés should reach the market from 2027; reds for laying down and Ports will take longer. In the meantime, it is a good moment to discover vintages that are already ready to drink, from the same regions:
03
Kopke São Luiz Reserva Tinto 2022
Douro: a classic blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão.
€14.90
View →
04
Alento Reserva Tinto 2022
Alentejo: Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional.
€15.85
View →
05
Quinta de Santiago Alvarinho 2025
Monção e Melgaço: Alvarinho from the previous vintage, 2025.
€13.70
View →
06
Quinta do Pessegueiro Porto Vintage 2021
A Vintage Port to lay down while you wait for the 2026s.
€54.80
View →More wines in Douro and Alentejo.
FAQ
What people ask us most
Was 2026 a good harvest in Portugal?
Early reviews point to high quality, especially in the Douro, despite September's heat. Final production figures will only be known once harvest declarations are closed.
When will 2026 wines reach the market?
The youngest whites and rosés usually arrive the year after the harvest. Reds for ageing and Ports take longer.
Will there be a 2026 Vintage Port?
It is too early to say. Each house decides whether to declare a Vintage, usually in the spring of the second year after the harvest.
✦
The 2026 harvest is already in the cellars. While you wait for it, taste the vintages that are ready now.
Shop Douro WinesPlease enjoy responsibly.
