The grapes for Special Reserve are picked at the peak of ripeness from single varietal vineyards in the best vineyard areas, assuring top quality fruit for the Special Reserve blend. Cockburn's ferments longer and uses a higher percentage of older wines in the blend to achieve a more complex, slightly drier character that is the Cockburn's signature style. The Douro River flows west from the Spanish border to the city of Oporto, from which port takes its name. Wine is shipped in bulk from the Douro area to these lodges to age in the cool seacoast climate. The Douro climate is one of extremes.
Winters can bring severe frosts while summers are long, dry and hot.
Vines grow in a meager topsoil derived from a rock called schist, which sometimes must be shattered with dynamite before planting can begin. Vineyards must be terraced in most of the Douro due to the steepness of the terrain. Grapes are crushed and fermented at the Quintas before transport to the Cockburn's lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia and Santa Maria for aging, blending, bottling and shipping. Cockburn's is considered one of the most progressive port producers. Cockburn's is a leader in research, development and quality control.