#66 Wine Spectator Top 100 (2000 edition - 1997 vintage)
97-Points by the Wine Spectator. 
Well-proportioned, showing fine balance and grip to the fresh boysenberry, red plum and wild cherry flavors. Intense black fig and dark chocolate notes appear on the firm, powerful finish. Best from 2040 through 2060. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,250 cases made. 200 cases imported.
Very limited!
 
From c. 30 year old block planted vines at Quinta do Vau and Quinta do Seixo (Cima Corgo) this blend comprises 40% Touriga Franca (according to Sottomayer, “the strongest, most structured variety”), 40% Touriga Nacional (“elegance and harmony”), 10% Tinta Roriz, 5% Tinta Cão (“for good acidity”) and 5% Sousão (“to increase colour”).
 
Winemaker Notes ~ Luis Sottomayor
Chief Winemaker Luís Sottomayor says he cannot recall a vintage in which the port wines have revealed “such enormous structure and robustness.” According to Sottomayer, “2011 has allowed us to create vintage wines with never-before-seen levels of colour, structure and complexity, for which we anticipate enormous bottle-ageing potential, thanks to the combination of robust structure, fruit and excellent acidity.” 
Singled out for its exceptional characteristics, Sandeman Porto Vintage 2011, a wine from a single year, will age in the bottle for 30 or 40 years. This outstanding 2011 Vintage Porto is an example of Sandeman's commitment to quality Porto winemaking.
The wine is complex yet elegant in character. Almost opaque, it is purple-deep crimson to the rim. On the nose it entices with aromas that include blueberry and cassis, notes of cedar and cigar boxes as well as hints of nutmeg, saffron and black pepper. On the palate, its balance impresses. The lively, powerful, close knit tannins are integrated with the elegant acidity to support the rich flavours of ripe red berry fruits and the cedar notes from its time in oak. The finish is persistent and memorable.
 
Vintage port laws require the wine to be bottled between the second and third year after the harvest and sold only after the third year. The grapes must be from a single vintage, and the wine must be submitted for approval to the IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto) before it can be bottled and sold, and it must be bottled in dark glass bottles with a cork closure. 
 
Sandeman is a Port producer based in the Vila Nova de Gaia in Porto. It makes a wide variety of Ports, ranging from Ruby and Tawny to a whole host of vintage expressions. 
The house was founded in 1790 by George Sandeman, who started out selling Port and Sherry in London before relocating to Portugal in 1811. Today, the house is run by the seventh-generation George Sandeman, who worked in Porto and Jerez before joining the company in 1977.
The cellars remain at their original location in Vila Nova de Gaia, the traditional home of most of the big Port houses (Dow's, Graham's and Taylor's are all based here). The area's temperate maritime climate helps age the ports slowly before they are shipped around the world. The cellar floors are a mixture of oak and soil to help maintain the temperature and humidity, and also provides an easy surface on which to roll barrels around. Sandeman's vineyards are located in the Douro Valley. In the winery, Sandeman also produce multiple styles of Sherry and Madeira.
In the late 19th Century, Sandeman acquired a Sherry bodegas in Spain which significantly expanded the portfolio of the company.