Cossart Gordon

THE HISTORY 

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 founded the company upon his arrival in Madeira on September 12, 1745. He was joined by his younger brother Thomas from 1758 to 1763 and in the same year by another Scot, Thomas Gordon of Balmaghie. Thomas Murdoch joined the firm in 1791, and it became known as 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 had left Scotland for Virginia) were proving to be highly successful, leading to the company acquiring an unequaled reputation as suppliers of fine Madeiras. In 1808, the Scottish dominance over the firm was broken with the arrival of William Cossart, an Irishman descended from a distinguished Huguenot family of France. The title of the firm changed in 1831 with the arrival of Cossart’s nephew Peter to the island. It then 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 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, who was born on the island in 1907. 

THE TERROIR 

The island of Madeira is of volcanic origin and was discovered in 1419 by Captain João Gonçalves Zarco of Portugal. Its location in the Atlantic made it an important strategic port of call, which led to the rapid expansion of the island’s wine, especially in countries such as the United States of America. The archipelago is situated at 32º 38’ latitude north and 16º 54’ longitude west, about 684 miles off the coast of Portugal and 367 miles off the coast of Morocco. The total area of the island is 183,106 acres, of which vineyards occupy about 1,211 acres. The island relief is steep and a mountain range that climbs up to 6,109 feet above sea-level runs the length of the island, virtually dividing it in half and creating seven different micro-climates that have a determining effect on where the vineyards are planted. Irrigation is provided by an ancient system of canals called levadas that brings water from the mountains down to the agricultural plots and out to the ocean. Madeira is rich and diverse in terroirs. The climate is overall subtropical and temperate, and there are fertile volcanic soils. The vineyards are exposed to the ocean breezes, and the grapes from vineyards planted at lower levels can show saline and iodine notes. The soils are acidic, rich in minerals, iron, and phosphorous, and poor in potassium, which all contribute to the trademark acidity of the wine. In fact, the acidity is one of the most remarkable assets of these unique wines, allowing them to remain fresh even after having been bottled for many years. 

THE WINES 

Madeira wine is typically a mono-varietal wine. Cossart Gordon produces only white varietal Madeiras from Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malmsey. Each of these white grape varietals represents one of the four styles of Madeira: dry, medium-dry, medium-rich and rich. Cossart Gordon produces wines in each of these sweetness levels as blended 5-Years-Old, 10-Years-Old, and 15-Years Old wines, single harvest Colheitas, and impressive vintage dated wines.