Sandeman, Quinta do Seixo
Quinta do Seixo
Seixo occupies a prominent position overlooking the confluence of the river Torto with the Douro. I came to know this quinta rather well in the summer of 1982 when it was the basis for my undergraduate dissertation on vineyard microclimate. At the time it belonged to Ferreira, a pioneer of vertical planting (perpendicular up the face of the slope, known locally as vinha ao alto), which is favoured here on all but the very steepest slopes.
Bought as a Ferreira property, Seixo has now been rebranded as Sandeman by owners Sogrape. The house and adega (described by Henry Vizetelly in the 1870s as ‘commodious and well arranged’ with ‘an air of pretension about it’) have been restored to make a stunning visitor centre. With commanding views over the Douro and Torto valleys, there is no more inspiring place to sip a glass of Sandeman’s scintillating tawny Port.
Seixo is now the basis for Sandeman’s much-improved vintage Ports (the 2018 looks really very promising), but it has only been bottled quite rarely as a single quinta vintage.
Sandeman, Quinta do Seixo 2013 95 £ 31.99 Dunell’s, Eton Vintners, Fullaloves, Harvey Leonard’s, Hay Wines, Hedonism, Helmsley Wines, Lay & Wheeler, Liberty Wines, Saxtys, St Andrews Wine Co, The Fine Wine Co, Vintage Wine & Port
Made up from about 30% centenarian vines plus Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão and Tinta Francisca from younger vineyards. Still in its bloom of youth; profound if tight-knit and withdrawn to start on the nose, similarly dense on the palate, showing the power of old-vine fruit. Cherry and ripe blackcurrant backed by firm, ripe, chewy tannins and a long, complete and beautifully balanced finish. Drink now, but will be better still in five years. Drink 2020-2035 Alcohol 20.5%
Quinta do Noval, Colheita 2005 97
£50 Amps, Fortnum & Mason, Lea &
Sandeman, Justerini & Brooks, Ocado, Southport Whisky, The Vintage House, Yorkshire Vintners
The first bottling of a wine, foot-trodden in lagar, after a hot, dry summer: lovely brick-red centre, orange-amber rim; gentle yet complex aromas, savoury nuttiness with suave fruit. Gloriously silky with a dusting of tannic spice still evident mid-palate, some exotic richness perfectly offset by refined freshness and verve on a long, long finish. Noval has stock of this wine which will continue to age in barrel for future colheita bottlings when the time is right. Drink 2020-2025 Alc 21%