1960 Sandeman, 12-bottle Lot, Wood Case

Sandeman is in Portugal’s Douro Valley, the center of the nation’s Port industry. It was founded in 1790 by George Sandeman, an ambitious Scot who founded a wine business in London and started importing Port and Sherry. A brilliant marketer, Sandeman branded his casks and built trademarks for the wines he imported, and by the early 20th century his company was doing a robust business selling sample cases and gift packs of Sandeman fortified wines throughout Europe and the U.S. Even more brand recognition came in 1928 when the company created “The Don,” the caped figure in a wide-brimmed hat who became the company’s marketing symbol. The company was purchased by Seagram in 1980 and in 2002 by the Sogrape Group. Though best known for Port and Sherry, the company also makes Madeira, Brandy and a few red wines.

Portugal is best known for its two legendary fortified wines, Port and Madeira, but it also produces significant amounts of red and white table wine. In most years it ranks around the 10th or 11th largest wine producer in the world. In 2013, for instance, Portugal was the 11th largest producer just after Germany. Wine has always been produced in Portugal and in fact the country was the first to organize an appellation system, which it did in 1756, nearly 200 years before the French set up their appellations. The highest quality wines are labeled D.O.C. for Denominaçào de Origem Controlada. Many of the most innovative winemakers today, however, are avoiding the appellation system, which they deem too stifling for modern winemaking practices. The Douro Valley is the nation’s most important wine producing region, and it is the capital of Port production. The Portuguese island of Madeira, located 400 miles west of Morocco, is the nation’s other famous wine region, having produced Madeira for export for more than 400 years. Many red and white wine grapes grow in Portugal, though the best known is Touriga Nacional, the red grape used for Port and, increasingly, high quality table wines. Touriga Nacional produces dark, tannic, fruity wines.