Producer Profile
Cockburn's
Cockburn's Port is a historic Port house, which has been in production dating back to 1815. In 1962, the Cockburn sold the estate to the Symington family - the house has continued to thrive under their management. They have established themselves as one of the major Port brands.
In 1815, Scotsman Robert Cockburn established the house on his return to Portugal after previously fighting in the Napoleonic Wars under Wellington. Along with his brother John – they bought grapes directly from the farmers in upriver Douro, bypassing the merchants fair. This began the long tradition of Cockburn’s ignoring the rules, and setting their own path in the industry.
The company's base is the Quinta dos Canais in the Upper Douro, which has 97 hectares (240 acres) of vineyards on rocky schist soils. The quinta takes its name from the system of stone channels built in the 19th Century which are used as a water source to irrigate the vines.
They produce various styles of port, including vintage, ruby, white and tawny. Alongside this, they introduced the Special Reserve Port in 1969; bridging the gap between vintage and ruby. The success of the house is evident in the ports they create.
