Sandeman Vintage Ports back to 1955
George Sandeman came over to London in September to present a some of Sandeman’s best recent Vintage Ports, finishing off with a 1955. The wines below are listed in the order that they were tasted following a dinner accompanied by Sogrape (Ferreira) wines at the Sandeman’s old offices on St Swithin's Lane in the city of London. This is now a complex of restaurants, bars and private dining known as the Sandeman Quarter https://sandemanquarter.com . I must register thanks to my goddaughter Madeleine Everington for hosting the event.
Sandeman 2018 ****/*****
A blend of wines from Sandeman’s own estates, Quinta do Vau and Quinta do Seixo, with winemaker Luís Sottomayor describing the vintage as ‘one of the best, if not the best, that I have witnessed’: deep, opaque ‘blue-black’ colour. 50% Touriga Franca, 40% Touriga Nacional with the rest made up from Sousão and Tinto Cão; still closed on the nose, ripe, dense but giving very little away; lovely deep, rich spicy fruit on the palate with big, solid extractive tannins in characteristic (modern) Sandeman style (a fabulous LBV from the same year is made in similar style), lovely sweet, minty fruit on a fresh, expressive finish. This has the potential to be a classic but will need a couple of decades at least to soften. Drink from 2030. 18.5
Sandeman 2000 ****
A low yielding year that produced wines with great concentration and was widely declared; a blend of 30% Touriga Franca, 30% Touriga Nacional, 20% Tinta Roriz with Tinto Cão and Tinta Barroca (all of the so called ‘top five’ grapes) expertly put together by Eduardo Seixas: still deep and youthful in hue, just beginning to turn on the rim; fine, scented aromas, just opening up after twenty years in bottle; wonderfully fresh, sweet minty fruit with a touch of dark chocolate at the centre, velvety tannins with lovely purity and definition on to a fresh, lingering finish. Drinking well now and over the next 20-30 years. 18
Sandeman 1997 ***
After a warm, dry spring, summer was cool allowing for even ripening and a successful vintage, widely declared. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 40% Touriga Francesa, 10% Tinta Barroca and 10% Tinta Roriz: retaining good colour but let down by a rather sour cherry character on the nose and palate with oddly (given the cool summer) stewed fruit, mid-weight with good tannin structure and a finish that just redeems things but that sweet and sour character is off-putting. 15
Sandeman 1955 ****/*****
A hot summer with timely rain just before harvest produced a classic vintage. This was the last Sandeman Port vintage bottled at St Swithin’s Lane in London: lovely colour with youthful robe; a little woody and leathery on the nose initially with fine, floral fruit emerging; rich and all there on the palate, showing better than on the nose, retaining good tannic grip mid-palate and purity of fruit on the finish. Very fine and holding together well but I have had even better examples of this wine. 18.5
