El Yardo

Cockburn’s Port House

Cockburn’s is one of the world’s most famous port houses and its Special Reserve is the world’s most popular premium port.

History

Cockburn’s was set up by Scotsman Robert Cockburn in 1815, who returned to Portugal after first visiting the country as a soldier fighting under Wellington in the Napoleonic wars.

Originally settling in the Douro valley, Cockburn’s joined the exclusive group of great port houses that included names such as Warre’s and Taylor’s. However it was only a year later that Cockburn’s dispensed with tradition and decided to explore east to eventually become the first of the port producers to relocate to the Upper Douro valley, a relocation that required a team of men, 2000lbs of explosives and the determination of the master blender John Smithes.^[1]

Innovators

Over their 193 year history Cockburn’s has developed a reputation as being innovators, which, amongst such a traditional and conservative industry is sometimes considered a disregard for ‘the rules’. Amongst the many innovations, was an experimental vineyard established in 1930. The purpose of the vineyard was to research and develop lesser-known or forgotten grape varieties. One of the more recent successes of this project, under the guidance of Chief Viticulturalist Miguel Côrte-Real, has been the revival of the Touriga Nacional vine. A grape recognised for its exceptional quality, it is also considered expensive due to its low harvest. Nonetheless, Touriga Nacional now accounts for 35% of Cockburn’s yield.

Cockburn’s has also led the way in terms of modernising standards of wine and environmental management. In 1994 Cockburn’s became the first wine company to be awarded the ISO 9002 for quality management, wine making and production operations. In 1997 it became the first vineyard to be awarded the ISO 9002 for vineyard quality management systems and in 2000 was awarded the ISO 14001 for environmental quality management systems..^[2] In 2008 Cockburn’s redesigned its bottles, a design that has already been nominated for design awards.

Ports

Cockburn’s produces three different styles of port: Ruby – the most familiar style of port which is blended and matured to have a youthful and grapey character. Red to purple in colour they may be concentrated, powerful, velvety and assertive. They are often matched with dark chocolate, berry desserts and good cheese.

Tawny – are matured in smaller barrels than ruby port and blended to show mature, complex characteristics. Pale red or even golden brown, they have less vigour and grape flavours than Ruby Port, and are contemplative, subtle, seductive wines with deeply layered dried fruit and nut flavours with a deliciously long lingering finish. These are often served lightly chilled and partnered with sweet fruit tarts or fine cheese.

White – perhaps the least well known port. Made in the same way as ruby Port but from white rather than red grapes. White port is often used as a cocktail companion - partnered with ice and tonic for a long “Portonic” or mixed with a dash of peach liqueur for a summer drink.

From these three styles Cockburn’s produce nine individual ports. These include Vintage, Single Quinta Vintage (sourced solely from Quinta dos Canais), LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) 10 and 20 year old Tawny and Special Reserve - the world’s biggest selling premium port.

Vintage years

Cockburn’s has declared vintages in the following years 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1927, 1935, 1947, 1955, 1960, 1963, 1970, 1975, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2000, and 2003.^[3] ^[4]

In 2004 the Quinta Dos Canais Vintage was the only port featured in the Wine Enthusiast ‘Top 100 World Wines’. It was ranked tenth.