Despite the fact that there was no longer any family firm to apprentice himself to, Johnny Graham arrived in Oporto in 1973. He got a job as a trainee with Cockburn?s and for the next 8 years worked closely with the ex partner, John Smithes, in the tasting room, on the production side and in vineyard management. In 1980, at the age of 28 he was made a director. Johnny married in 1980. Caroline, his wife, is a Churchill. Together they formed Churchill Graham Lda and in 1981 he decided to leave Cockburn?s to set up his own Port Wine Company. Despite offers of permanent jobs, he agreed to work as a consultant for Taylor?s while starting his Company. In the meantime, local Port farmers had learned that he wanted to set up on his own and were keen to help. In particular, Borges de Sousa who had excellent properties, offered a deal. Clearly the wine could not be called Grahams? ? the family business had been sold in 1970 to the Symingtons ? so what better name than his wife?s maiden name Churchill.