Croft

Croft traces its origins to 1588 when Henry Thompson entered the wine trade. By 1647, the Thompson wine firm had acquired cellars in Bordeaux and established itself in Hull, London, and Amsterdam. The Thompson and Croft families joined in 1681 through the marriage of Frances Thompson and Thomas Croft, and in 1707, Richard Thompson merged the business with Irish Port merchants Thomas Phayre and Nathaniel Bradley. John Croft became the first Croft to partner in the Port wine company in 1736 at age 42, and in 1911, Gilbey's acquired full control of Croft from the heirs of John Frederick Croft.

In 1889, Croft acquired the Quinta da Roêda estate in the Douro region, which consists of an extensive terraced vineyard sweeping the north bank of the Douro River above Pinhão.