Cockburn’s was founded in 1815 by the Scottish brothers Robert and John Cockburn. Originally wine merchants in Leith, Scotland, their Port house was founded with the objective of securing a supply of excellent wine at its source in Portugal. In the words of Robert Cockburn himself, “the quality of the wine – that is the first thing to be looked to”.

Cockburn’s pioneered vineyard development in the Upper Douro Valley, particulary in the remote Douro Superior subregion, which is Cockburn’s heartland to this day. Under John Henry Smithes, Cockburn’s was instrumental in recovering Touriga Nacional from almost certain extinction, a grape variety that is fundamental to Vintage Port. Cockburn’s earned great respect and became one of the greatest names in Port. In the late 19th and early 20th century, Cockburn’s Vintage Ports invariably commanded the highest prices. The extraordinary 1908 is a landamark Vintage Port.

Acquired in 1962 by a multinational, the emphasis shifted away from Vintage Port, but following the Symington family’s acquisition of Cockburn’s in 2010, the company focus was shifted back to one thing: the quality of the wine. The memorable retrospective Vintage Port tastings of 2012 and 2015 included Cockburn’s wines dating as far back as 1863 and provided key insights into the style that made Cockburn’s so admired in its heyday. Charles Symington, inspired by the great Cockburn’s Vintages of the past, made the outstanding 2011 debut Cockburn’s Vintage under Symington stewardship, which merited widespread international acclaim.