harveys

[JB vintage]

Hi,
I have tried to find information if Harvey's Vintage Port is still made. I belive not but I cannot find any good information anywere about there recent activities. I am updating the current entry on http://www.vintageport.se/house/Harvey.php and would really appreciate any assistance you could provide.

Text on the current link is as follows:

Harvey's
John Harvey & Sons, Bristol

This is a very well-known English Wine merchant which bottled vintage port for 200 years and also bottled under their own name so called a B.O.B. (Buyers Owen Brand) labelling.

The first clue of John Harvey is the discovery of a silver wine label in 1751 linked to the business. 1794 Harvey was a wine and brandy merchant who supplies port to residences within five miles.

In 1961 Harvey bought the Port wine house Martinez Gassiot and in 1962 also Cockburn Smithes. In 1971 Harvey was bought by Allied Lyons drinks empire, now Hiram Walker-Allied Vintners.

From the vintage 1978 the Harvey label is a vintage from Quinta Eira Velha.

Harvey Vintages: 1820, 1863, 1868, 1878, 1887, 1897, 1900, 1954 (Grahams), 1958, 1962

In addition to these vintages I have found Harvey's vintages of 1983 and 1985 (both produced by Martinez Grassiot). Does anyone know of any additional vintages? Is 1985 the last Harvey's Vintage Port?

Harvey's as well as Cockburn and Martinez has been handed round like hot potatoes and this is the story as far as I understand it:

In 1961 Harvey bought the Port house Martinez Gassiot and in 1962 Cockburn Smithes.

In 1966 Harveys was bought by Showerings, Vine Products and Whiteways Ltd (SVPW), which was bought by Allied Breweries in 1968. Allied Breweries became Allied-Lyons plc in 1981 and Allied Domecq PLC in 1994

In 2005, a time of turmoil started for Cockburn, Martinez and Harvey's and it's owners. The Allied Domecq was taken over by Pernod Ricard SA who then immediately sold off some of the acquired brands, including Harvey's, Cockburn and Matinez, to Beam inc within the Fortune Brands group. Beam had not much experience in making fortified wine and consequently, the offer of the Symington family, to make the Cockburn wines for them was welcomed. In 2006 the Symingtons took over all the vineyards and the lodges of Cockburn, but Beam retaind the brand and the company name. However, Symington was allowed to buy Martinez in 2006. In 2010 Beam sold the remaning parts of the Cockburn company and brand name to Symington and the transfer was completed. Harvey's is still part of Beam inc but does not make Port wine anymore.

I would be very pleased to have your input on this.

Thank's!

[uncle tom]

I regard Harvey's principally as a port bottler, rather than a brand, as they did not confine themselves to bottling a single shipper. I have both Cockburn and Sandeman '55s in my cellar that were bottled by them.

It is possible that they had their own blend in the early years - I have a Harvey's 1908 that has no other ID - but as it was common, pre WWI, for bottlers to market vintage port under their own name and ignore the shipper who had supplied them, it is hard to know for sure.

[DRT]

Tom,

Harvey's of Bristol was indeed a bottler, but "Harvey's" was a brand used by Martinez Gassiott, principally for the US market.

Derek

[JB vintage]

We know that Harvey's (of Bristol) was a bottler that did bottle many different houses. However, in addition, they also bottled some vintages under their own name. For example the 1962 which is their own blend of Cockburn and Martinez. 1983 and 1985 is branded Harvey's and bottled by Martinez Gassiott. This is the same Harvey's company and at this time Harvey's (of Bristol) did in fact own the Martinez Gassiott company. I did not know this Harvey's brand from the 80'ies was principally used for the US market. Did they make any additional vintages for US?