From the shelf
Everything we have from Cossart Gordon
Click on a bottle for the rest of the details.
The oldest house on the island
Cossart Gordon began in 1745, when the young Scot Francis Newton arrived on Madeira on 12 September of that year. The house was successively called Newton, Gordon, Murdoch & Co., then Newton, Gordon, Cossart & Co. and finally Cossart, Gordon & Co. It is the oldest company in the madeira trade.
We have three in stock: the five-year-old Sercial, the five-year-old Verdelho and the ten-year-old Verdelho. We also carry the ten-year-old Malmsey, but it cannot be ordered in the online shop at the moment.
Not sure which one you need? Give us a call. That is what we are here for.
The three bottles we have in stock
All three 75 centiliters and 19 percent according to the online shop data, and all three aged using the canteiro method.
Cossart Gordon 5 Years Old Sercial Madeira
Sercial is the driest of the four classic Madeira styles. Five years old, aged in American oak in the attics of Funchal. 75 centilitres, 19 percent.
€ 24,99
Cossart Gordon 5 Years Old Verdelho Madeira
Verdelho is the medium-dry style, a step sweeter than Sercial. Five years old, matured in American oak. 75 centilitres, 19 percent.
€ 24,99
Cossart Gordon 10 Years Old Verdelho Madeira
The same medium-dry style, but matured for ten years instead of five. That is the class called Madeira Special Reserve. 75 centilitres, 19 percent.
€ 34,99
Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malmsey: what do those names mean?
These are the four classic Madeira grapes, and at the same time the four sweetness levels. From dry to sweet:
Sercial is dry, with the highest acidity. Verdelho is medium dry. Boal (also Bual) is medium sweet. Malvasia, in English Malmsey, is the sweetest.
Then there is Tinta Negra, by far the most planted grape on the island and responsible for most of the production. Since a European change in 2015 that name may also appear on the label; before that, such madeira was indicated only by sweetness, with dry, medium dry, medium rich or rich.
From Newton to Cossart Gordon
- The house in brief
- 1745Francis Newton arrives on Madeira on 12 September.
- 1758Thomas Gordon joins.
- 1791Thomas Murdoch joins; the firm is called Newton, Gordon, Murdoch & Co.
- 1808The Irishman William Cossart joins the company.
- 1831The name becomes Newton, Gordon, Cossart & Co.
- 1913The Madeira Wine Company is founded.
The house began as the trading house of Francis Newton, a Scot who arrived on the island in 1745. In the decades that followed, partners joined: Thomas Gordon in 1758, Thomas Murdoch in 1791 and, in 1808, the Irishman William Cossart. In 1831, with the arrival of Peters Cossart, the firm name became Newton, Gordon, Cossart & Co.; after Newton and Gordon left, Cossart, Gordon & Co. remained.
The Madeira Wine Company was founded in 1913 by a number of Madeira producers who wanted to stand stronger together. Blandy’s and Leacock joined between the world wars, Miles and Cossart Gordon after the Second World War. The company is now based in Caniçal on Madeira.
Canteiro and estufagem
Madeira is matured warm, and this can be done in two ways. With estufagem, the wine goes into steel tanks with heating coils, for at least ninety days at 45 to 50 degrees, and must then rest for at least another ninety days. This method was devised in 1794 by Pantaleão Fernandes and is mainly used for the entry-level Madeiras made from Tinta Negra. With canteiro it happens without artificial heat: the casks lie in the attics of the lodges and are warmed by the sun, for at least four years. The casks are never filled completely, so that the wine can oxidise slowly.
Five years or ten years, dry or medium dry
The choice comes down to two things: how dry you want it and how long it has matured.
Sercial or Verdelho. Sercial is the driest of the four styles, Verdelho is right next to it and is medium dry. You taste that difference immediately, and it also determines what the bottle goes best with.
Five years or ten years. On Madeira, an age on the label indicates the minimum ageing of the youngest wine in the blend. Five years is called Reserve, ten years Special Reserve, fifteen years Extra Reserve. Of Verdelho we have both the five and the ten, so those two are easy to compare side by side.
Not sure? Call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl. We're happy to help you choose.
Frequently asked questions about Cossart Gordon and madeira
How many bottles of Cossart Gordon does ’t Bockje have in stock?
Three, all three immediately available: the five-year Sercial, the five-year Verdelho and the ten-year Verdelho. We also stock the ten-year Malmsey, but that cannot be ordered at the moment.
What is Madeira?
Fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean. During or after fermentation, wine spirit is added, after which the wine is aged warm. That heat and the slow oxidation give madeira its character.
What do Sercial, Verdelho, Boal and Malmsey mean?
Those are the four classic Madeira grapes and, at the same time, the four sweetness levels. Sercial is dry, Verdelho medium dry, Boal medium sweet and Malvasia or Malmsey sweet.
What is the difference between canteiro and estufagem?
Two ways to age madeira warm. With estufagem the wine goes into heated tanks, for at least ninety days at 45 to 50 degrees. With canteiro it happens without artificial heat, in the attics of the lodges, for at least four years.
What does 5 years old or 10 years old mean on the label?
The minimum maturation. On Madeira, three years is called Finest or Selecionado, five years Reserve, ten years Special Reserve and fifteen years Extra Reserve.
How old is Cossart Gordon?
The house dates back to 1745, when Francis Newton arrived in Madeira, making it the oldest company in the Madeira wine trade. Since the end of the Second World War it has belonged to the Madeira Wine Company, which was founded in 1913.
What is the difference between Madeira and Marsala?
Both are fortified wines. Madeira comes from the Portuguese island of Madeira and gets its flavour from heating and slow oxidation. Marsala comes from the west of Sicily and matures in oak casks without that heating.
Does ’t Bockje also ship Cossart Gordon abroad?
Yes. We ship to around forty countries. Email info@bockje.nl if you want to know whether your country is included.
Order, collect or drop by
- In stock in our shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen
- Available to order online and have delivered, including abroad
- Order online or collect in Bathmen
- Personal advice via 0570 541 278 or info@bockje.nl
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 09.00–18.00, Saturday 09.00–17.00. Closed Monday and Sunday
Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18.
Keep browsing
Brink 2, Bathmen
All our stock is in the shop, not in a warehouse somewhere else. If you walk in with a name you couldn't find anywhere, it is often simply here on the shelf. You can also call: 0570 541 278.
Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18
- Tuesday to Friday 09.00 – 18.00
- Saturday 09.00 – 17.00
- Monday and Sunday closed