After the snowfalls on the 7th January, the Winter and the Spring of the year 1997 were warm and dry. The higher than normal temperatures brought on early bud burst and the berry set for all the vineyards was good. From flowering up to September there were frequent rain showers which meant that the initial advance to the season was lost to a more gradual ripening period.

The weather during the harvest was extremely hot, as a result the fermentation temperatures were high and an extra effort was required to prolong the fermentations. The high quality was evident in the Port wines from the start, with the intensity of the must, good integration of the spirit and powerful, attractive aromas.