Cockburn's 2015 Vintage Port release
(Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Cockburn's celebrates its 200 year history by declaring the 2015 Port vintage...

Cockburn’s 2015 vintage declared

Cockburn’s have declared the 2015 vintage, which will also celebrate their bicentenary. 

The 2015 Vintage Port is only the second vintage to be made by Symington Family Estates since they acquired the Cockburn’s brand in 2010, following their purchase of the cellars and vineyards in 2006.

The Symingtons, also responsible for Dow’s, Graham’s and Warre’s Ports, are now seeking to revive Cockburn’s fine wine reputation, and raise it to its previous stature as a world-leading vintage Port.

Cockburn's 2015 Vintage Port release

Cockburn’s vineyards – Quinta dos Canais in Douro Superior
(Image credit: Credit Unknown)

They hope the 2015 vintage will help do so, whilst also celebrating 200 years since the founding of Cockburn’s by Scottish wine merchants Robert and his brother John Cockburn in 1815.

The 2015 vintage Port is also the product of a larger project by the Symingtons, to recover the original Cockburn’s style.

Symington Family Estates conducted two vertical research tastings with international experts; the first in Porto in 2012 went back to 1896, and the second in London in 2015 stretched to 1863.

Both tastings singled out Cockburn’s 1908 as the finest example, with some pronouncing it to be one of the greatest Ports ever produced.

It remains to be seen whether their efforts to capture the essence of Cockburn’s former finesse will pay off, but the Symingtons are confident that that the 2015 vintage shows every sign of rivalling the region’s greatest Ports.

In their harvest report, they state that the best grapes picked at Quinta dos Canais and Quinta do Vale Coelho were picked over the same ‘13 days when the finest Ports were made in the Douro Superior‘ (September 21 – October 4).

Production:

3,500 cases (6 x 75cl)

660 Magnums

99 Double magnums

50 Imperials

*Written by Laura Seal for Decanter.com

More news:

Château Haut-Batailley vineyards, bordeaux

Château Haut-Batailley vineyards. The estate was bought by the owners of Pauillac neighbour Lynch-Bages in 2017, but the price was not disclosed.
(Image credit: Haut-Batailley)

Bordeaux: Lynch-Bages owner buys Haut-Batailley

Deal confirmed after weeks of rumours...

Château Guiraud Sauternes

Château Guiraud Sauternes.
(Image credit: Decanter)

Château Guiraud fires starting gun with 2016 release

Sauternes estate gets the jump on rivals...

Franciacorta

(Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Franciacorta embraces forgotten grape to fight climate change

And a new 'ally' against climate change...

Brexit Wine

(Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Article 50: Wine leaders lobby for interim deal after Brexit

No deal not good enough, says UK and EU trade...

UK ports, Brexit

Lorries waiting on the docks at the port of Dover.
(Image credit: Julian Eales / Alamy Stock Photo)

UK ports face standstill after Brexit, warns wine trade

Leaving customs union would have consequences, says WSTA...

Laura Seal
Laura Seal
Decanter Magazine, Food, Wine & Travel Writer

Laura Seal is a freelance food, wine and travel writer based in London, but travelling regularly to Spain.

Besides writing travel guides, learning content and news stories for Decanter, she has also contributed to Country Life and US-based Food&Wine Magazine.

After graduating from UCL with an English Literature & Language degree in 2016, she joined Decanter as editorial and digital assistant. In 2017 she was promoted to the role of content creator on the digital team.

She worked with the Decanter design team to produce the much-loved ‘Tasting Notes Decoded’ series, which is published on Decanter.com and serialised in the magazine.

In addition, she compiles the 'A month in wine' feature for Decanter Magazine and formerly worked on MarketWatch.