Warre's Port

The firm that became Warre's was established in 1670 when William Burgoyne and John Jackson opened offices in northern Portugal as Burgoyne & Jackson, initially a general trading company exporting wines, olive oil, and fruit. In 1729, the business was renamed Messrs. Clark, Thornton & Warre with the arrival of William Warre, born in India in 1706. By the late 18th century, Warre's had become one of the leading Port companies, shipping 2,937 pipes in 1791, accounting for 10% of the total sold by 21 companies that year. The Symington connection began in 1882 when Andrew James Symington arrived in Porto aged 19. After a stint at Graham's and running his own small Port shipping operation, he became a partner at Warre & Co. in 1905 and sole owner in 1908.

• 1670: William Burgoyne and John Jackson found Burgoyne & Jackson in northern Portugal
• 1729: William Warre joins, company renamed to include Warre in the title
• 1791: Warre's ships 2,937 pipes, 10% of the total Port trade among 21 companies
• 1905: Andrew James Symington becomes partner; 1908: sole owner
• 1912: George A. Warre (Dow's senior partner) and AJ Symington conduct share swap between companies
• 1961: Symingtons become sole owners of both Dow's and Warre's

Warre's draws its premium Ports from three principal Douro Valley estates, each contributing distinct characteristics. Quinta da Cavadinha, acquired in 1978, sits high in the Pinhao Valley opposite Quinta do Noval, with vines ranging from 180 to 440 meters elevation on south-east-facing slopes. All of Cavadinha is A-rated (the highest quality designation), and approximately 30% of its vineyards are 'Vinha Velha' or old mixed plantings over 30 years old. Quinta do Retiro Antigo in the Rio Torto Valley features spectacular 18th-century stone terraces, many supporting just a single row of vines that produce superb concentration. Quinta da Telhada, one of the Douro's most remote vineyards near the Spanish border, stands out for its 47% Touriga Nacional plantings.

• Quinta da Cavadinha (46 ha): Pinhao Valley, 180-440m elevation, east-facing, all A-rated; 30% old mixed plantings
• Quinta do Retiro Antigo (40 ha): Rio Torto Valley, 18th-century stone terraces, ancient low-yielding vines producing under 0.5 kg per vine
• Quinta da Telhada (35 ha): remote eastern Douro near Spanish border, 47% Touriga Nacional
• Additional sourcing from Quinta do Alvito and Quinta das Netas
• Symington Family Estates collectively owns 26 quintas covering 2,255 ha, with 1,024 ha under vine across the Douro

Warre's stands apart from other major Port houses through its consistent emphasis on floral elegance and freshness rather than sheer weight or sweetness. This character flows primarily from Quinta da Cavadinha, whose high altitude and east-facing aspect create a cooler, later-ripening cycle that preserves acidity and produces wines with lifted floral aromatics. Warre's Vintage Ports are frequently described with the word 'elegant,' whether from the 19th, 20th, or 21st century. They reveal floral aromas and fine-grained tannins that give a sense of delicate refinement on the palate. Importantly, they are approachable when young yet develop beautifully in bottle over many decades.

• Signature style: floral, fresh, and elegant, consistent across centuries of production
• Cavadinha's altitude and cooler conditions drive the house's fresh acidity and floral lift
• Structural elegance and refinement favored over power or richness
• Vintage Ports approachable when young but built for decades of bottle development

Warre's reputation for Vintage Ports began with its very fine late 19th and early 20th century declarations. The 1963 Vintage Port (94 points) is widely considered a benchmark for Port quality, commanding around $327 on the secondary market. The 1977 (93 points) is revered as one of the great Port vintages, priced around $162. In the modern era, the 2000, 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2017 have all been outstanding. The 2016 Vintage Port earned 98 points from Wine Spectator and was ranked #14 in their prestigious Top 100 Wines of 2018, the highest-ranked Portuguese wine that year. The 2017 received 97 points from Wine Spectator.

• 1963: benchmark Port vintage, 94 points, secondary market ~$327
• 1977: one of the great Port vintages, 93 points, secondary market ~$162
• 2016: 98 points Wine Spectator, #14 in Top 100 Wines of 2018 (highest Portuguese wine)
• 2017: 97 points Wine Spectator
• Warre's LBV frequently called the 'World's Best LBV' for its gold medal record at blind tastings

Today Warre's operates under Symington Family Estates, one of the most important family-owned wine companies in Portugal. The Symington family's fifth generation currently runs the business, continuing a relationship that began in 1882 when Andrew James Symington first arrived in Porto. Symington Family Estates owns and operates four major Port houses: Graham's, Dow's, Warre's, and Cockburn's, along with a growing portfolio of Douro table wines. The family is the largest vineyard owner in the Douro Valley, with 26 quintas spanning 2,255 hectares, of which 1,024 are planted to vine. In 1998, the Symingtons developed the first modern treading lagar, now operating across their specialist estate wineries.

• Fifth generation of Symingtons currently at the helm
• Symington Family Estates owns Graham's, Dow's, Warre's, and Cockburn's
• Largest vineyard owners in the Douro: 26 quintas, 2,255 ha total, 1,024 ha under vine
• Pioneered the first modern treading lagar in 1998
• Also produces Douro table wines alongside the Port portfolio

Warre's range spans the full spectrum of Port styles. The Heritage Ruby (~$15) and Fine White (~$15) offer accessible entry points. Warrior Finest Reserve (~$21), the oldest continuously shipped Port mark dating to the 1750s, is aged 4-5 years in seasoned oak. The Otima range reinvented tawny Port presentation: the Otima 10 Year Old Tawny (~$40) and Otima 20 Year Old Tawny (~$56) come in distinctive modern bottles. The Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) is unfiltered and bottle-matured, winning more gold medals at blind tastings than any competitor LBV. At the peak sit the declared Vintage Ports and single-quinta Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Ports (~$65), produced only in exceptional years.

• Heritage Ruby and Fine White: entry-level, approachable, ~$15 each
• Warrior Finest Reserve: oldest continuously shipped Port mark (since 1750s), aged 4-5 years in oak, ~$21
• Otima 10 Year Old and 20 Year Old Tawny: modern presentation, elegant aged tawny style
• LBV: unfiltered, bottle-matured, consistently gold-medal-winning
• Vintage Port: declared only in exceptional years, flagship expression of house style
• Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port: single-estate declaration, ~$65