Earliest Port corks with branding

Anything to do with Port.
Post Reply
PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3503
Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
Location: Near Cambridge, UK

Earliest Port corks with branding

Post by PhilW »

Following on from discussion of when branding on the end of corks started, this led to a discussion on when branding was first used on any port corks.

The oldest branded port corks I have seen are Croft 1912 and Cockburn 1912. Others here have opened many more pre-war bottles than I, so may have older examples; Is the 1912 vintage the first to have been bottled (in 1914) with branded corks?

(side question: same query, but for any wine, not just port; ignoring re-corked bottles ofc).
User avatar
Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: Earliest Port corks with branding

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I have a photograph of a branded Cockburn 1908 cork which I think was an original cork.

I'd suggest you also post this enquiry on FTLOP and on the Scandinavian websites. There's lots of knowledge there too.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3503
Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
Location: Near Cambridge, UK

Re: Earliest Port corks with branding

Post by PhilW »

AHB wrote: 09:21 Fri 03 Mar 2017I have a photograph of a branded Cockburn 1908 cork which I think was an original cork.
Please post a picture if you are able.
AHB wrote: 09:21 Fri 03 Mar 2017I'd suggest you also post this enquiry on FTLOP and on the Scandinavian websites. There's lots of knowledge there too.
A good suggestion; will do.
User avatar
Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: Earliest Port corks with branding

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I found it!
Ck08 cork.JPG
Ck08 cork.JPG (100.18 KiB) Viewed 3554 times
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
User avatar
DRT
Fonseca 1966
Posts: 15779
Joined: 23:51 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Chesterfield, UK
Contact:

Re: Earliest Port corks with branding

Post by DRT »

Perhaps you could ask Amorim if they have company records that would answer the question?
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
User avatar
uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: Earliest Port corks with branding

Post by uncle tom »

I have a Feuerheerd 1896, sold to me a long time ago by Jeffrey Benson. It has no outward identification. He explained that he'd acquired a pair of matching unknown bottles and opened one which revealed its identity on the cork.

Aside from that, the oldest bottle I've ID'd from a cork (I think..) was a Croft 1904 half bottle.

The 1851 unknown shipper that I opened for Richard Mayson's 50th six years ago had the vintage date embossed on the end of the cork, but with no branding on the sides - the only time I've seen this..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv6RmZR2XGE
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Post Reply