Bodegas: Sandeman

George Sandeman, an ambitious young Scotsman born in Perth in 1765 set up in the London wine trade in 1790. He soon rented a cellar, and, with a loan of £300 from his father, traded in Sherry and Port from Tom’s Coffee House, near the Strand. He began selling the Sherry of fellow Scot James Duff until 1805, when he opened offices in St. Swithin's Lane and briefly switched to W Lacosta till 1809. For the year 1792, he sold 127 1/2 butts in England and 25 1/2 in Scotland. In 1797 he was made a Freeman of the city of Perth, aged just 32. His brother David helped for the first couple of years, until they dissolved their partnership amicably, and David went on to found the Commercial Bank of Scotland. In the early 1800s George was shipping wines all over the world. In 1805 he was (apparently) the first to fire-brand the casks, giving a recognisable trademark to his wines. In 1809 one of his partners, James Gooden, moved to Cadiz where he began to export wines under the Sandeman label. 

In 1823 Sandeman began buying the Sherries of Julian Pemartin, whose son went bust in 1879 as a result of his spendthrift nature.  Sandeman had taken into partnership Walter J Buck (ex bodegas Matthiesen Furlong & Co.) and the firm was known as Sandeman Buck & Co. between 1879 and 1923. As a result of Pemartin's collapse Sandeman took over all the Pemartin assets which included vineyards, bodegas and soleras, and for the first time produced their own Sherry. George Sandeman, whose nickname was "old cauliflower" in reference to his now dated white wig, died in 1841 and was succeeded by his nephew George Glas Sandeman (1792-1868). He widened the scope of the business, trading in linen goods as well as wine. George Glas was succeeded by his eldest son, Albert George Sandeman (1833-1923), who took into partnership his three brothers. Interestingly, one of them, Col. John Glas Sandeman was co-inventor of the coin operated slot machine. This partnership became a Private Limited Company in 1902. Albert Georges's son Walter Albert (1858-1937) began an overdue modernisation of the company, and it was he who began the famous advertising.

In 1894 Sandeman bought 800 butts of Oloroso from Antonio Bernardo de Quiros, which became the soleras known as Royal Corregidor and Imperial Corregidor (after the Corregidor vineyard). The Buck assets were acquired during the First World War, and the Sandeman family became outright owners of the firm. They also had extensive interests in the Douro for the production of Port, but this is about Sherry.

The famous logo of the “Don” was designed in 1928 by George Massiot Brown for Sandeman who, in the 20th century had begun many innovative – and successful - advertising campaigns. The Don wears a Spanish sombrero and a Portuguese student's cape symbolising the firm’s commitment to both countries. Unlike other firms involved in both Sherry and Port who specialise in one more than the other, Sandeman were fully committed to both. In Spain they own 358 ha of vineyard, all in good albariza soils and some in Carrascal (Jerez Superior). 95% of production is exported.

The firm was bought by the Canadian multinational Seagram in 1979 and merged in 1984 with a Rioja producer called  Palacio Coprimar, forming Sandeman Coprimar SA, and in 1991 Seagram Espana. There took place a real sales push, but this did nothing for quality, and in 2002 Sandeman was bought by Sogrape, the Portuguese company behind Mateus Rose (among many better wines), and before too long the Sandeman wine got back to form.

In 2004 a deal was struck with Nueva Rumasa, by which their subsidiary Bodegas Zoilo Ruiz Mateos took over all the Sandeman installations in Jerez, including vineyards, bodegas and stocks, but not, importantly the name, or the brands, although they wanted them too. Effectively, therefore, Sandeman Sherry is all made by Zoilo Ruiz Mateos, though from Sandeman soleras, and with a Sandeman label.

The 7^th generation, George Sandeman is still with the company. The old bodega, now visitor centre, is in central Jerez close to the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre (the famous riding school), the Atalaya Museum and the Museo del Enganche (Carriage Museum).

The Wines:

VOS (20yo):  Royal Ambrosante PX,    Royal Corregidor Oloroso,   Royal Esmeralda Amontillado

Good Range: Rare Fino, Don Fino, Armada Cream, Character Med. Amo., Dry Don Med. Amo.

Basic Range: Dry Fino, Medium “Amontillado”, Rich Golden

Visits?  Yes

Address:  Calle Pizarro, 10, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz

Telephone:  (+34) 956 151 700

Web:  www.sandeman.es / visitors.jerez@sandeman.com