Tradional Madeira Winemaking

A Cossart Gordon & Co. foi fundada em 1745 e é a empresa mais antiga no comércio e exportação do Vinho Madeira.

Francis Cossart, um jovem escocês, seu irmão mais novo Thomas, e Thomas Gordon de Balmaghie, chegaram à Madeira em 1745, fundando a empresa.

Atraidos pelo clima na costa sudoeste da Ilha da Madeira onde fizeram propagar enormes plantações de vinha, construiram os seus lagares no Arco da Calheta, na actual Quinta do Conde, a empresa predurou até aos dias de hoje, perdurando por várias gerações de sócios, entre eles seu neto Thomas Russell Maners Gordon, 1.º conde de Torre Bella. 

A família Cossart tem estado entre as mais influentes da ilha há quase dois séculos. O livro mais autoritário sobre a Madeira, Madeira The Island Vineyard, foi escrito por Noël Cossart, um antigo sócio sénior da firma nascido na ilha em 1907.

Até hoje, Cossart Gordon Madeiras é considerado o mais fino disponível.

A Madeira Wine Company era originalmente uma associação de várias empresas produtoras de vinho Madeira, que decidiram unir forças para reforçar as suas capacidades de compra e de produção de vinho.

Esta Associação foi fundada em 1913. Durante os anos de discórdia, as antigas empresas familiares de Blandy's e Leacock juntaram-se, seguidas imediatamente após a disputa por Miles e Cossart Gordon, criando assim o maior produtor e exportador de vinho Madeira.

Qualquer que fosse a dimensão, a manutenção das características e estilo únicos de cada empresa individual estava no centro das atenções da associação.

No final dos anos 70, os interesses na Madeira Wine Company, tal como ficou conhecida, foram reduzidos a apenas um punhado das famílias originais com a família Blandy a deter a quota de controlo.

Em 1989, a família Blandy, necessitando de reforçar a vertente de vendas e marketing do negócio, convidou a família Symington, do Porto, Portugal, a juntar-se a eles em parceria. Esta parceria tem continuado até aos dias de hoje, permitindo à Madeira Wine Company desempenhar um papel de liderança no desenvolvimento do comércio do Vinho Madeira.

Cossart Gordon & Co. was established in 1745 and is the oldest company in the Madeira Wine trade. Francis Newton, a young Scot sailed from Gravesend in Britain and arrived in Madeira on September 12th 1745, founding the company. He was joined by his younger brother Thomas from 1758 to 1763 and then by another Scot, Thomas Gordon of Balmaghie also in 1758. Thomas Murdoch joined the firm in 1791 that came to be called Newton, Gordon, Murdoch & Co.

By 1850 the firm was said to be shipping "half the growth of the island" and Newton's contacts in America through his brother Andrew (who left Scotland for Virginia) were proving to be highly successful and the company acquired an unequalled reputation as suppliers of fine Madeiras. The colonies in North America were at the time the largest and most discerning market, so much so in fact that the best production was widely known as "America Madeira". Madeira played such an important part in the American life that it was used to toast the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776.

The arrival of William Cossart

In 1808, the Scottish dominance over the firm was broken with the arrival of William Cossart, an Irishman descended from the distinguished Hugnenot family of France. The title of the firm changed in 1831 with the arrival of Cossart's nephew Peter to the island. It briefly became known as Newton, Gordon, Cossart & Co., but with the death of Newton and the resignation of the last Gordon, the firm changed its name to the now world famous branding of Cossart, Gordon & Co.

The firm has always maintained its British nationality with a branch in London since 1748, and in 1909, because the family had grown so large, the firm was registered as a limited company. At the end of the 19th century the firm had expanded by including port, sherry, tarragona, marsala and malaga to their wine portfolio. These businesses continued until the outbreak of World War II when the firm decided to concentrate solely on Madeira.

The very finest Madeiras available

The history of the British merchants on the isolated island of Madeira is fascinating and unique. Living and working in the Madeira wine trade with only infrequent contact with the outside world, they contributed very substantially to various spheres of activity that increased the island's prosperity and thus alleviated much poverty.

The Cossart family has been among the most influential on the island for nearly two centuries. The most authoritative book on Madeira, Madeira The Island Vineyard, was written by Noël Cossart, a past senior partner of the firm born on the island in 1907.
To this day, Cossart Gordon Madeiras are considered the very finest available.

Cossart Gordon & Co. was founded in 1745 and is the oldest company in the trade and export of Madeira Wine.

Francis Cossart, a young Scot, his younger brother Thomas, and Thomas Gordon de Balmaghie, arrived in Madeira in 1745, founding the company.

Attracted by the climate on the southwest coast of Madeira Island, where they propagated huge vineyard plantations, they built their mills in Arco da Calheta, in the current Quinta do Conde, the company has lasted until today, lasting through several generations of partners, including they his grandson Thomas Russell Maners Gordon, 1st Earl of Torre Bella.

The Cossart family has been among the most influential on the island for almost two centuries.

The most authoritative book on Madeira, Madeira The Island Vineyard, was written by Noël Cossart, a former senior partner of the firm born on the island in 1907.
To this day, Cossart Gordon Madeiras is considered the finest available.

The Madeira Wine Company was originally an association of several Madeira wine producing companies, who decided to join forces to strengthen their wine purchasing and production capabilities.

This Association was founded in 1913. During the years of discord, the former family businesses of Blandy's and Leacock came together, followed immediately after the dispute by Miles and Cossart Gordon, thus creating the largest producer and exporter of Madeira wine.
Whatever the size, maintaining the unique characteristics and style of each individual company was at the center of the association's attention.

By the end of the 1970s, interests in the Madeira Wine Company, as it became known, were reduced to just a handful of the original families with the Blandy family holding the controlling share.

In 1989, the Blandy family, needing to reinforce the sales and marketing side of the business, invited the Symington family, from Porto, Portugal, to join them in partnership.

This partnership has continued to this day, allowing the Madeira Wine Company to play a leading role in the development of the Madeira Wine trade.