Moscatel de Setubal
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2045
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Portuguese egg tarts (pastéis de nata), dark chocolate tarts, blue cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the sun-drenched slopes of the Península de Setúbal, Bacalhôa's Moscatel de Setúbal is a legendary fortified wine deeply rooted in Portuguese history. The region's unique microclimate, shielded by the Arrábida mountain range and cooled by Atlantic breezes, provides the perfect conditions for the Moscatel de Setúbal (Muscat of Alexandria) grape to develop intense aromatic complexity. The winemaking process is highly traditional: after partial fermentation, grape spirit is added to arrest fermentation, followed by an extended skin maceration that lasts through the winter months. This prolonged contact extracts the rich essential oils, orange peel, and honeyed notes characteristic of the style. The wine is then aged in seasoned oak casks, developing a complex bouquet of dried fruits, butterscotch, and exotic spices.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1922 under the name João Pires & Filhos, Bacalhôa Vinhos de Portugal has grown into one of Portugal's most significant and pioneering wine enterprises. Modernized in the 1970s and subsequently acquired by arts patron Comendador José Berardo in 1998, the group encompasses historic estates such as Quinta da Bacalhôa, Quinta do Carmo, and Caves Aliança. Spanning roughly 1,200 hectares across the Setúbal Peninsula, Alentejo, Bairrada, Dão, Douro, and Vinho Verde, the group cultivates indigenous and international varieties on diverse terroirs ranging from Setúbal's clay-limestone slopes and sandy maritime soils to Alentejo's schist-strewn plains. Viticulture is practiced sustainably under certifications like the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme (WASP). Led enologically by Francisco Antunes, Bacalhôa balances classical heritage and cellar innovation, renowned for historic benchmark cuvées including the barrel-fermented Catarina, age-worthy Quinta da Bacalhôa Cabernet Sauvignon blends, Quinta do Carmo reds and whites, traditional-method Aliança sparkling wines, and rare, concentrated Moscatel de Setúbal.
🍇 Grapes
Moscatel de Setúbal
🍷 ABV
17.5%