Review: Sandeman Tawny Porto 10 Years Old

Sandeman has one of the more recognizable labels in the Porto wine industry.  The black-cloaked Sandeman Don was created in 1928.  However the history of this internationally renowned Porto wine producer dates back much further than the 1920s.  The Porto shipper was founded in London in 1790 by George Sandeman, a Scotsman from Perth.  Initially the business focused on sherry but Mr. Sandeman quickly added Port to the portfolio and today Sandeman also produces a brandy.  In 1980 Seagram, the multinational Canadian company, bought Sandeman, which led to critiques that production became more focused on quantity over quality.  Then in 1990 George Sandeman, the 7th generation of the family, moved to Oporto and began managing operations.  In 2001 Sandeman’s Port and sherry production changed hands again, after being purchased by Sogrape, Portugal’s largest wine producer.

Today Sandeman produces 12 different labels of Porto, 1 brandy, and 10 sherries.

The review …

Sandeman Tawny Porto 10 Years Old
Tasting Notes: 20% ABV. Mahogany in the glass. A light yet fortified nose with aromas of toasted almonds, vanilla and rich, ripe plums and figs.  In the mouth this wine has supple tannins and a thick, syrupy and smooth texture, accompanied by a cloying sweetness.  There are flavors of vanilla, plums, molasses, blackberry preserves and prunes.  Overall this wine is a little disjointed and lacking in expression and complexity.
Rating: 13/20
Price: 20€ @ Snooth.com

Full Disclosure: This wine was sent to me for review from The Thomas Collective

Star of Mondovino Hosts IVV Tasting – Yvonne Hégoburu of Domaine de Souch, Jurançon

This week’s In Vino Veritas tasting was host to a very special celebrity guest and a lovely lady to boot.  Yvonne Hégoburu, star of the wine documentary “Mondovino”, shared with us her passion for Jurançon wine.

Until 1972 Yvonne had no professional knowledge or experience in wine whatsoever.  She worked as the administrative assistant for her late husband, René, who was a journalist.  Then in 1972 Yvonne and René purchased 23 hectares of land in Jurançon.  After the death of her husband in 1985, the local Chamber of Commerce advised Yvonne that she might want to consider planting vines on her estate.  So she planted 6.5 hectares of 75% Petit Manseng, 15% Gros Manseng, and 10% Petit Courbu.  Thus began the story of Domaine de Souch.  From her very first vintage, having consulted with some top wine experts, Yvonne’s wine was recognized for its stellar quality and strong respect for healthy viticultural practices.  Over 20 years later, now in her 80s, Yvonne is still a very well known and esteemed winemaker, maintaining her firm belief in the respect for terroir and organic-biodynamic farming.

Yvonne noted during the tasting that she has 23 children thanks to her passion for wine.  At first I was in disbelief until I realized that she was referencing her 23 unique and equally loved vintages, both the good years and the bad years.  She noted that not a single one of her vintages is the same and that she doesn’t dare oppose the forces of nature with any kind of intrusive winemaking practices.  Today Yvonne makes three labels, including a Jurançon Sec, and two sweet wines or “vin moelleux”.  The “Cuvée Mary Kattalin” is the domaine’s star sweet wine.

The tasting …

2008 Domaine de Souch “Jurançon Sec”
Tasting Notes: 14% ABV.  A bright, rich and complex nose of sweet spice, apples and citrus.  In the mouth there is a rich and nutty attack accompanied by a biting acidity and balanced by a smooth texture.  There are flavors of orange and green apple that come out on the mid palate.  This wine screams for charcuterie.
Rating: 15/20
Price: Approx. 15€ @ France (price estimate only)

2007 Domaine de Souch “Cuvée de Marie-Kattalin”
Tasting Notes: A beautifully sweet and aromatic nose of dried apricots and ginger.  In the mouth the juicy and up front acidity is very pronounced and balanced out perfectly by the sweetness and velvety smooth texture.  More dried apricots come out in the mouth, as well as peaches and mango.  A very enjoyable wine.
Rating: 16/20
Price: Approx <20€ @ France (price estimate only)

Tasted: 2006 Marqués de Riscal Riscal 1860

2006 Marqués de Riscal Riscal 1860

Appellation: Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon

Tasting Notes: 100% Tempranillo.  13.5% ABV.  This wine is from select vineyards in Castilla y Leon, and aged in new American oak for 6 months.  Pretty light violet in the glass, I can see my fingers through it.  Nose is cherry with some earth and cedar, a little candy.  Not as much fruit on the attack as I expected, some cherry, a little disjointed, smooth. A little thin.  Some tea and earth comes through.  Some pepper as well.  Long finish with a lot of tannin.  Nice.   Solid Wednesday night with dinner wine, and would be a crowd pleaser at a party.

Rating: 3/5, 14/20, 86/100

Price: $12.99 at Bin 604

A note on ratings:  I use the 100 point rating for Cellartracker, even though my palate is still developing.  As a statistics geek, I know that the variability in scores works itself out as the number of scores increases.  However, my score may not be yours, or Robert Parker’s.  I much prefer to use a 5 point (or star, or whatever you want to call it) scale, as it more represents my reaction to wine, which is more simple than a 100 point scale represents.  I like the 20 point scale as the more detailed score.   On this site, I will provide all three, although the most meaningful are the 5 and 20 point ratings.

Wine Books

Hello one and all.  I wanted to take a few minutes an introduce myself.  My name is Bryan Haley and I have been in the wine industry at the producer level for the past seven years.  While working in the industry, I have held many hats and have really loved every second of it.  In the fall, I am going to be starting work towards my Masters of Hospitality and Tourism Management and concentrate my research on international wine business and winery tourism.  After my Masters, I will continue on for my doctorate and CWE.  A lot of my posts will be on topics such as working at a winery, various people I meet, and my research.

OK, enough about me!  Like many other wine geeks, I buy lots of books on wine.  It’s almost a weekly trip to Barnes & Nobels to see if they have any new wine books on the topic.  If you look at the main page on The Grand Crew, there is a great selection of wine books.  One of the best wine books I have picked up lately is Mark Oldman’s “Oldman’s Guide To Outsmarting Wine.”  Divided up into two page chapters and sorted by wine styles and miscellaneous topics, this is a great book for the person looking to gain practical knowledge without feeling like you are reading a textbook.  I am about half way through the book now and have enjoyed jumping around to the various topics to gain more knowledge on the regions I haven’t studied just yet.  I give it a 8 out of 10 for it’s wide knowledge and easy to read format.  In my opinion, the only part that it is lacking is a specific section on wine labels.

If you are looking to get a good glimpse into the industry from the business side, search for “Wine Marketing: A Practical Guide” by C. Michael Hall and Richard Mitchell.  Absolutely great!  My undergrad work was in marketing and being in the industry, this was the perfect fit for me.  The book is divided up into chapters on topics ranging from the international wine market, the role of intermediaries, and the role of the Cellar Door at a winery.  Like the previous book, it is easy to skip around to different sections and be able to keep up with the authors.  A fair warning for this book: be prepared to feel like you are reading a textbook.  If you are looking to be filled with fact after fact about the relationships between the producer and the consumer, then this book is for you!  If you are looking to learn more about various wine regions, then I would look for another book.  I give it a 9 out of 10.

What books are you all reading right now?