2018 Sandeman

The 2018 Vintage Porto is mostly a 50/40 blend of Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional with Tinto Cão and Sousão filling out the rest of the blend. It comes in with 106 grams of residual sugar. When last seen, this seemed pretty fine, but it was not yet bottled and there were some questions to answer. Let's check in. With some bottle time, this has fleshed out and shows off its concentration to balance superb structure. The structure may be the best feature. That is part of the identity of most great Ports, and this easily meets any such challenge. There is a serious backbone supporting the fruit and a big finish with appropriate grip and length. A day or two after it was opened, it was more vigorous and powerful than ever. I did have some other questions about balance the first time, though, and the answers are still not entirely clear. This is very ripe. Sometimes I thought it might cross the line to over-ripeness. That's less of a sin with Port, perhaps. Classic in its flavor profile on opening, this eventually shows more baked plums and stewed plums. If there's a question here, it is whether the fruit profile will keep up with the superb structure as it ages. Overall, it shows the ability to age for some decades and develop more complexity. I'd bet on it, but let's be a little conservative just now. There were 19,333 bottles produced.

Mainly from Quinta do Seixo and Quinta do Vau. 50% Touriga Franca, 40% Touriga Nacional, 5% Sousão, 5% mixed local varieties. RS 106 g/l. Cask sample. Dark purplish crimson. Very fragrant, well integrated and quite evolved and a bit less energetic compared with the Symington single-quinta 2018s I have just been tasting. Very dry finish after a sweet, peppery start. It's not one of the most concentrated or focused but it will probably develop into something more spectacular, though the alcohol is discernible on the finish. (JR)

The 2018 Vintage Port from Sandeman, which was sent as a cask sample, has 106g/L residual sugar. It has a powerful and heady bouquet that does not quite possess the delineation of some other 2018s that I have encountered. The aromatics are just a tad too hedonistic. The palate is very sweet and candied on the entry with luscious liquorice infused black fruit, espresso, curry leaf and a touch of Xmas cake. It is a thoroughly enjoyable Vintage Port, though the warmth of the growing season seems to just rub out a little of Sandeman’s style.