Symington

In general

Symington Family Estates is a Portuguese company specializing in the production and trade of Portuguese wine, particularly Port and Madeira. Over the years, Symington has purchased a number of Port houses, becoming one of the largest Port suppliers in the world. The Symington family is a member of Primum Familiae Vini, a worldwide association of traditional, leading family-owned wine growing and trading companies.

The genesis of the success story

The company traces its origins to Andrew James Symington, a Scotsman who emigrated to Portugal in 1882 and traded in port wine and other Portuguese goods. He initially worked for Graham's, another port merchant, but went into business for himself after a few years. in 1891, Symington married Beatrice Atkinson, whose family had been closely associated with the port wine trade for generations dating back to the 17th century.

After the death of Andrew James Symington, the Symington family expansion continued, with the addition of Graham's and Smith Woodhouse in 1970. Several more specialized companies and wineries followed.

Today, Symington is one of the most important port wine trading groups in the world, with a market share of about 30%, along with Sogevinus and Sogrape.