COCKBURN'S & QUINTA DO VESUVIO, 2017 VINTAGE PORTS

DOURO, PORTUGAL 2017

With port producers comparing the 2017 vintage to the legendary 1945 vintage, wine enthusiasts everywhere are salivating at the chance to stock up. And when it comes to premium port production, collectors need to look no further than the portfolio of the Symington family. As a leading vineyard owner in the Douro Valley and one of the top Portuguese wine producers, the Symingtons simply dominate with their impressive list of port houses, including Dow’s and Graham’s – which opened our 2017 offers last week to incredible response. For 2017, the Symingtons reached a milestone, declaring the first back-to-back vintages in their history – a history of winemaking that goes back 130 years and five generations. Such a celebrated and historic port vintage is surely not one to miss and today we have two more from the highly acclaimed stable of the Symington family – Cockburn’s and Quinta do Vesuvio.

Cockburn’s is one of the world’s most iconic port houses. Founded in 1815, Cockburn’s easily demanded the highest prices of any port in the early 20th century. The first to plant vineyards in the remote Douro Superior, the house was instrumental in resurrecting the now renowned Portuguese variety, Touriga Nacional – one of the essentials for both red and fortified wine production in the Valley. Bought by the Symingtons in 2010, Cockburn’s was returned to family management and the recent vintage ports reflect a return to the premier league of port houses. The 2017 is no exception. Sourced from south-facing vineyards in Douro Superior with a high proportion of Touriga Nacional, the 2017 is concentrated but not jammy, velvety in texture and “finishes with pop and power” (Mark Squires, Wine Advocate).

Quinta do Vesuvio was founded by one of the leading historic superstars of port production, Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira, and is one of the great Douro estates, purchased by the Symingtons in 1989. Bottling the first known single estate Portuguese wine in 1868, the property is 133 hectares planted over seven hills and thirty-one valleys, with vineyards facing every direction. As one of the few places in the world where human feet crush the grapes during harvest, their vintage port is sourced from the entire property whereas their ‘Capela’ vintage port is a rare single vineyard produced only in the best of the best years – potentially “one of the great Ports in a great vintage” (Mark Squires, Wine Advocate). With high scores and the best prices before they hit stores, our second 2017 vintage port offer includes three premier bottlings that are a must for your collection!