For The Love Of Port

Up until very recently, it was always believed and therefore written that KOPKE was the original Port shipped, dating back to 1638. New evidence unearthed by a scholar under the auspices of The Fladgate Partnership, (as detailed in a recent newsletter) found that there was unequivocal proof that CROFT was not established in 1678 as had been believed for more than 300 years, but actually 1588.

This new claim antiquates previous information in almost every book ever written on Port and turns previous reports on the history of Port, on its ear.

What do you think?

My question is this:

Did Croft produce Port in 1588? Or is that just the year that the company was incorporated, perhaps for a different purpose?

That's a trick question without intent, though, as "Port" as we think of it wasn't being produced by anyone until the 1800's.