Canais was named after the system of stone canals built to bring water from the waterfall on the western edge of the property to the house and surrounding olive and orange groves. From the late 19thcentury, the owners of Canais began to supply grapes to Cockburn’s and these became an essential component of this company’s legendary Vintage Ports. Cockburn’s acquired the estate in 1989.

In 2006, Canais became the second largest Symington Family Estates property (after Quinta do Vesúvio) when we acquired the Cockburn’s assets, including vineyards, wine lodges and wine stocks. With the acquisition of the Cockburn’s name itself in 2010, our family were more committed than ever to maintain the property’s long-standing association with Cockburn’s.

The south-facing Canais vineyards make an impressive sight, laid out on a natural amphitheatre overlooking a pronounced bend in the Douro River. Canais has a large proportion of mature Touriga Nacional (in the Vinha Bico de Pato vineyard) and Touriga Franca (in the Vinha do Alexandre vineyard) which were planted in the early 1990s and which provide very high-quality fruit for Cockburn’s Vintages and other Ports.

Vineyard details

  • Total Area 271.7 hectares
  • Vineyard Area 96.6 hectares
  • Principal Grape Varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, old mixed vines,Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Alicante Bouschet, Tinta Amarela
  • Vineyard Aspect South, south-west and west
  • Altitude Range 109 — 353 metres
  • Average Annual Rainfall 471 mm
  • Average Annual Temperature 16.8°C
  • Supplies Cockburn's Port