Sandeman, Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2018

Deep ruby in colour, this wine boasts intense and complex aromas of ripe and juicy blackberries, black cherries, strawberries and plums, married with spicy notes and subtle hints of cocoa. On the palate, firm but ripe tannins and a lively acidity carry the sumptuous flavours onto the lingering finish.

There are few more iconic images in the world of wine than the ‘Don’, the logo created for the Sandeman family in 1928 by George Massiot Brown. The cape was modelled on the attire worn by students of the University of Porto, while the wide-brimmed hat was a nod to the family’s presence in Jerez.

The Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz,Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão grapes that make up the LBV blend are sourced from prime sites in the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro including Quinta do Seixo and Quinta do Vau. The soil in the Douro Valley is schist - a slate-like metamorphic rock, that fractures vertically, allowing the vine roots to dig deep to access water and nutrients to sustain them through the hot Douro summers. The vines are planted on terraces supported by dry stone walls on the steep hillsides sloping down to the Douro river. Given the steep gradients and the inaccessibility for machinery, vineyard operations and harvesting are carried out by hand.

Upon arrival at the Quinta do Seixo winery, the grapes were destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation took place in granite lagares with vigorous foot treading to extract the ideal levels of colour, flavour and tannin from the grape skins. The ferment was closely monitored to determine the ideal moment to halt the fermentation by fortifying with grape spirit, leaving some of the grapes’ natural sugars. The wines remained in the Douro until the spring following the harvest when they were transported downstream to the historic Sandeman cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for ageing in oak casks for around four years.

Country: Portugal 

Region: Douro

Vintage: 2018

Grape Variety: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão

ABV: 20%

Size: 750ml 

Producer: Sandeman