Unusual long hot days have had temperatures soaring in The Douro Valley, Portugal. For the first time in many years we are irrigating our precious olive trees to battle the heat and save our harvest for 2017. Philipe is busy checking the olives daily and most probably will harvest much earlier then anticipated.
Typically the harvest occurs from mid-November thru January. Esplendido Douro still hand harvests at optimum ripeness & 2017 harvest will start in October this year. Fruit maturation depends on among other things on olive variety, temperature, sunlight and irrigation. A hot summer /fall can cause fruit to ripen too quickly. It is essential to have our crew ready for harvest.
