🍷 Sandeman
A Port and Sherry house founded in London in 1790 by George Sandeman, with cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia since 1811; part of Sogrape since 2002.
Sandeman is a Port and Sherry house. According to the house, George Sandeman, a 25-year-old Scot, set up as a wine merchant in London in 1790 with a £300 loan from his father; Wikidata gives the same year. In 1811 he bought lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Douro from Porto, which still hold more than 2,000 casks. In 1879 the firm acquired bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera.
According to the house, it makes Port, Sherry, Brandy de Jerez and Madeira. Its emblem, the caped figure known as “the Don”, comes from a 1928 poster by George Massiot-Brown. Since 2002 Sandeman has belonged to Sogrape, a Portuguese family-owned wine company.
Port is a wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO) from the Douro Demarcated Region. Grape spirit is added to the fermenting must, so at least 17.5 g/l of sugar remains; the strength is 19–22% vol., and from 16.5% vol. for light dry white Port. Vintage, LBV, Tawny and Ruby are categories set by the rules.
Why it matters to you. Words such as Vintage, LBV or 20 Years Old on a Port label follow the rules, while “the Don” is the house's own emblem. The WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol.
Facts
| Year founded | 1790, George Sandeman (London) |
|---|---|
| Region | Vila Nova de Gaia; Douro; Jerez de la Frontera |
| Country | Portugal |
| Legal basis | brand; wines under PDO Porto |
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Sandeman → → → 📍 Douro → packed in → 🍷 Wine bottle ← packed in ← 🍷 Wine
Links
Frequently asked questions
Is Port a fortified wine?
Yes. Grape spirit is added to the fermenting must, which stops the fermentation and leaves natural sugar in the wine.
Who is “the Don” on Sandeman bottles?
The caped figure is the house's emblem, taken from a poster by George Massiot-Brown.
Who founded Sandeman and where?
According to the house, George Sandeman, a young Scot, set up as a wine merchant in London.
Is it true that Vintage, LBV, Tawny and Ruby are Sandeman's own brand names?
No. They are Port categories set by the rules; any Port house can use them.
Similar
🍷 Symington Family Estates · 🍷 Cockburn's · 🍷 Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman · 🍷 Delaforce · 🍷 Dow's · 🍷 Fonseca Guimaraens
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
What it includes
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Vintage
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Late Bottled Vintage
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Vintage Quinta do Seixo
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Apitiv Reserve White
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Fine Ruby
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Fine Tawny
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Fine White
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Founder's Reserve
All (15) →
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Apitiv Reserve White
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Fine Ruby
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Fine Tawny
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Fine White
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Founder's Reserve
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Imperial Reserve Tawny
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Late Bottled Vintage
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Tawny 10 Years Old
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Tawny 20 Years Old
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Tawny 30 Years Old
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Tawny 40 Years Old
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Tawny 50 Years Old
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Vintage
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto Vintage Quinta do Seixo
- 🍷 Sandeman Porto White 10 Years Old
Sources
- Sandeman (official site): History — 1790, 1811, 1879, 1928, 2002
- Sandeman (official site): home page — Port, Sherry, Brandy de Jerez, Madeira
- Wikidata: Sandeman (Q2220541)
- eAmbrosia — EU register of geographical indications: PDO «Porto»
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)