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BUY WINES FROM COCKBURN

Cockburn's is one of the most recognised names in Port; the Special Reserve ruby is probably one of the most widely distributed Port brands available. In 1815, the year that Wellington defeated Bonaparte at Waterloo, the business was established by Robert Cockburn, who had visited Portugal when serving in Wellington's army. Like many of the old Port firms, however, although the company still bears his name there is no longer a Cockburn at the helm. In 1848 Henry and John Smithes joined as partners, and the firm became Cockburn Smithes. The business flourished for over a century, and in 1961 it swallowed up Martinez Gassiot, although immediately both businesses were taken over by Harvey's of Bristol, which ran them as two separate concerns. The current owners are Pernod Ricard, who completed a successful takeover of previous owners the Allied Domecq Group in 2005.