Cockburn's

In 1815, the Scotsman Robert Cockburn and his brother John, successful wine merchants in Leith near Edinburgh, set up a branch of their firm in Porto: R & J Cockburn’s. Over the years they had many different business partners and consequently like all of the early Port companies the name frequently changed until it became known as Cockburn’s & Co: the name that survives today. Although the Cockburn family continued to run the company until well into the twentieth century, other families joined the extended family of Cockburn’s & Co during this time resulting in some of the finest winemakers and Port tasters that the trade has ever known all being part of the same company. Consequently the Cockburn’s & Co family built themselves a remarkable reputation for fine Vintage Port. The records at the London auction houses show that in the early twentieth century, Cockburn’s Vintage Ports commanded the highest prices of any Port house. Since 2006 the Symington family have owned Cockburn's and are responsible for all its winemaking. So with Cockburn’s back under the ownership of one family, in fact one of the most important families in Port and the largest owners of vineyards in the Douro region, Cockburn’s could not be in better hands.

Inky black with an iridescent purple hue. The nose is warming and heady, enticing and complex. Intense and concentrated aromatics develop from black plum and black currant to figs, raisins and tonka bean. The palate has great tension with peppery tannins and a racy citrus like freshness over a firm, medium body. Rich flavours mirror the nose, blooming with dark fruits, plums, raisins and figs and an underlying textural core that carries finely balanced alcohol and is luscious to the tail end. Further flavours of dried apricot and spice develop on the finish.

James Suckling 98/100, Wine advocate 96/100, Decanter 95/100