The new label design for Sandeman Founder’s Reserve, titled “Pele Viva,” visually interprets the youthful character of this Ruby Reserve Port.
Sandeman, the most award-winning Port wine brand, which since 1790 has distinguished itself through its pioneering and disruptive spirit, reinforces its historic connection to the arts with the launch of the fourth special, limited-edition Sandeman Founder’s Reserve tube. This time, the visual interpretation of the iconic Ruby Reserve Port is the work of Portuguese artist Gonçalo Fialho, who goes by the name Uivo.
With a career marked by urban art and visual storytelling, Uivo created the work “Pele Viva” for this edition, which translates into a contemporary language the energy and vitality that define this wine. Inspired by the brand’s universe and the landscape of the Douro and Vila Nova de Gaia, the illustration builds bridges between nature, people, and the region. The result is a composition that captures the intensity of the Founder’s Reserve’s profile—a wine often described as “the essence of youth, with a bold character.” Regarding the creative process, the artist explains that he found inspiration for this project in the brand’s longevity: “In casual conversation, we tend to describe age as a state of mind. Sandeman, a brand with over 200 years of history, embodies this resilience against the passage of time. I found the blossoming of youth in the cellars, in the vineyards that flow into the river, and in the people. I depicted the brand’s youth as an explosion of energy in a fleeting moment—the living essence of the places and people I discovered.”
The new bottle design reflects this intrinsic connection to the river and the land through graphic elements that evoke the Douro’s biodiversity and urban dynamism. This collaboration reinforces Sandeman’s ongoing commitment to supporting contemporary artists, a tradition dating back to 1920 that has included notable partnerships with figures such as Jean d’Ylen and George Massiot Brown.
This artistic heritage lives on at the Sandeman Cellars, Quinta do Seixo, and The Sandeman Gallery—the brand’s digital gallery that showcases creative projects developed with artists such as Mário Belém and Camila Nogueira. The new limited edition of the Sandeman Founder’s Reserve tube is now available at Caves Sandeman in Vila Nova de Gaia, and at Quinta do Seixo in the Douro, and will soon arrive at the usual retail outlets in Portugal, with a recommended retail price (indicative and non-binding) of €14.99.