| Region of production: | Douro |
| Winery Location: | Vila Nova de Gaia |
| Year Established: | 1815 |
Vineyard Holdings
- Quinta dos Canais (261 ha): Grade A vineyard planted mainly to Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. South-facing, with older, smaller terraces that can only be hand-harvested. It is one of the largest quintas in the Douro Superior. Purchased in 1989.
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Quinta dos Canais: Released in non-declared vintage years. Aged for two years in cask before being bottled unfiltered. Inaugural vintage 1991.
- Vintage Ruby Port: Mostly fruit from Quinta dos Canais, with some Quinta do Vale Coelho and Quinta do Cachão do Arnozelo. Aged 18 months in oak vats before bottling.
- Special Reserve Port: A style that falls between Ruby and Vintage Port. Aged four to five years in cask before bottling. Inaugural vintage 1969.
Summary
Cockburn’s (“koh-burns”), originally called Cockburn Wauchope & Co., is a benchmark Port house founded by Robert and John Cockburn in 1815. The estate was owned by various families and corporations for 48 years until being purchased by the Symington family in 2010. Several British commercials were made in the seventies to launch the Special Reserve Port and teach correct pronunciation of the name.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Cockburn’s focus on its Special Reserve Port and multiple takeovers in the latter half of the 19th century caused its reputation to wane. Winemaking today has been refocused to a fresher, fuller style.
Producer Website: Cockburn’s Port