Cossart Gordon – The oldest Madeira wine house with a British tradition

Cossart Gordon & Co. is the world’s oldest continuously operating Madeira producer. The company was founded on 12 September 1745 , when the young Scot Francis Newton landed on the coast of Madeira. Initially supported by his brother Thomas (1758–1763) and his compatriot Thomas Gordon , the firm initially operated under various names until, in 1831, the arrival of William Cossart and his nephew Peter led to the creation of the present-day world-renowned name Cossart Gordon & Co..

From the very beginning, the firm maintained close ties with North America, which was at that time the largest and most discerning market for Madeira. Thus, the American Declaration of Independence was sealed on 4 July 1776 with Madeira from Cossart Gordon . The company had maintained a branch in London since 1748 and was regarded around 1850 as the island’s leading trading house – it shipped “half of the island’s total produce”. In addition to Madeira, the firm expanded in the late 19th century into the trade in port, sherry, Marsala and Málaga, but after the Second World War it once again concentrated entirely on Madeira .

Today, Cossart Gordon is part of the Madeira Wine Company , but retains its British tradition and distinctive style. The company has had a decisive influence on modern Madeira production: through the introduction of the controlled heating process (Estufagem), the systematisation of the classic grape varieties Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malvasia, and the development of the semi-dry ‘Rainwater’ style. The wines are aged using the traditional Canteiro system in American oak barrels and impress with their precision, mineral depth and exceptional ageing potential. Among the greatest rarities are the 1920 Bual (98 Parker points) and the world’s oldest continuous solera, dating from 1792.

Family member Noël Cossart authored *Madeira – The Island Vineyard*, the definitive reference work on the island . To this day, Cossart Gordon’s wines are regarded as the finest Madeiras available . With its unique heritage and uncompromising quality, Cossart Gordon remains the leading authority on classic Madeira.