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Sandeman unveils “elegant, harmonious” Vintage Quinta do Seixo 2022
Winemaker Luís de Sottomayor believes the Quinta do Seixo Vintage 2022 “reflects the typical terroir” of the heart of the Douro.
Having declared 2022 as a vintage year, Sogrape has released Sandeman Quinta do Seixo Vintage 2022. The wine, alongside releases from Porto Ferreira and Offley’s, will join Sogrape’s long tradition of high-quality vintage Ports.
Sandeman has been making Port since 1790, and bottling its own vintage Ports since the 1930s. Only in the best years does it declare a vintage. Quinta do Seixo Vintage 2022 therefore joins a long and illustrious history.
According to Fernando da Cunha Guedes, President of Sogrape: “Each vintage in this category is the writing of a new and exciting page in the centenary history of Port, a tribute to our ongoing commitment to tradition, quality, and excellence.”
The heart of the Douro
Quinta do Seixo is Sandeman’s standard-bearer in the Douro region. Sitting between the city of Régua and the village of Pinhão, it spans 71 hectares and appears in documents as far back as the 17th Century. Perhaps recognising its esteemable position, it is the only Sandeman quinta to produce its own specific Port.
Occupying a stretch on the southern bank of the Douro, the vineyard is, in many ways, typical of the region. Quinta do Seixo enjoys the area’s characteristic slopes, its vines growing both on modern terraces and on sloping sites. Its soils, as is of the case in this part of Portugal, are predominantly schist.
In its plantings, the vineyard is also emblematic of the Douro, with a mix of Port varieties spread across the land. On the Quinta do Seixo estate, Touriga Nacional and a blend of Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Francesa form the majority, with other varieties and a field blend complementing them. In its 2022 vintage, the Port is led by Touriga Francesa, Touriga Nacional, Sousão (55% all in all) with the remainder coming from the old vines field blend.
Many of the vines are approaching 100 years in age. Such old vines complement the blend’s complexity with concentrated flavours.
Fine conditions for vintage Port
In the growing 2022 season, the Douro region saw challenges in producing large quantities. Yet the overarching story is of a year that yielded high-quality grapes for the prestigious vintage Ports.
The winter, spring and summer saw limited rainfall, leading to broadly hot and dry conditions. The vineyards saw a couple of heatwaves through the season: these suppressed yields, but ensured that grapes reached optimal ripeness. In such structured wines as vintage Ports, where the tannins may be expected to evolve over decades, full ripeness is invaluable.
The growing season concluded with a mild September and some rainfall in the month. Although that meant the team had to choose picking dates carefully, guarding against dilution of the grapes, it helped ensure a balanced profile.
Indeed, now that the wines have aged in oak and been bottled, the winemakers are seeing its potential. Their most recent tasting note highlights aromas of black fruit, balsamic truffle and undergrowth, as well as firm tannins, crisp acidity and a long finish.
“Sandeman Quinta do Seixo Vintage 2022 reflects the typical terroir where it comes from,” says Luís de Sottomayor, Sogrape’s award-winning winemaker for Port and Douro wines. “It ́is a wine that stands out for its elegant, harmonious, and complex profile.”
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