Our Story

In 1798 a Portuguese merchant Bruno da Silva set up a business shipping the wine of the Douro from his native city of Oporto to London. The business thrived and in 1862 Bruno's son John brought in Fredrick William Cosens as a partner - hence the name Silva and Cosens - the firm that survives to this day.

During the early part of the 19th century, when England and Portugal were allied against the French invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, Bruno de Silva applied for 'letters of marque' to equip a sailing 'privateer' with nine guns. In this way, he could continue to safely send his wine from the Douro River to England through the dangerous and war-ravaged waters of the Bay of Biscay, gaining a valuable advantage over other less audacious producers. Never has great wine been so well protected.

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