Extreme Drought
Two months absence: I have been lecturing in the USA followed by a month of self-imposed purdah while writing the third edition of my book, Port and the Douro. Late spring and early summer have been relatively cool but, unlike the UK, there has been insufficient rain to make up for the shortfall over the winter. There have been some localised storms in the north and parts of the Douro have suffered severe hail damage last week. Two thirds of Portugal is now classified as suffering extreme drought and there have been some devastating fires in the Algarve and Madeira.