Moscatel de Setúbal
SO GOOD THAT IS KNOWN
AS GENEROUS WINE
Find out everything about the most well known wine of this region; a unique wine: the Moscatel de Setúbal.
Is is not known the precise moment of birth of the Moscatel de Setúbal grape varietal in the Setúbal Peninsula, but it is estimated that the Phoenicians and the Greeks have given a strong impetus to the dissemination of wine, promoting the trade with other nations through the Sado estuary.
The fame of the Moscatel de Setúbal, across borders, has problably began in the second half of the 14th century, when Richard II of England became a frequent importer of Moscatel de Setúbal. During the reign of Louis XIV, the prestige only increased. The “Sun King” always had this generous wine at his parties at Versailles. In the 15th and 16th centuries, during the portuguese expansion, Moscatel de Setúbal traveled on ships and galleons to India. After the Discoveries, the wines were transported on long voyages to the colonies and often made the round trip in barrels exposed to the sun or submerged in the water at the bottom of the ships, which ended up improving its already admired quality, originating the so-called “Roda” or “Torna Viagem” wines, highly prized in auctions and of which the Moscatel de Setúbal is considered the world ambassador.
The Frenchman Léon Douarche referred to the Moscatel de Setúbal saying: “It is the Sun in a bottle”.
FEATURES
THE BOTTLED SUN
With eternal voluptuousness, great sensibility and pleasure, the Moscatéis of Setúbal are wonderful in the always difficult harmony between sugar, alcohol and freshness. Made from the Moscatel de Setúbal or Moscatel Roxo varietals, they have a golden color with a strong citrus, sweet and compote character. They are considered “the portuguese national heritage you can drink”, being appreciated by kings and by the people since immemorial times.
There are also the following classifications:
Superior: wines with a minimum of five years of age and have obtained the outstanding quality rating in the chamber of tasters.
Reserva: only with outstanding quality rating in the Chamber of tasters.
Moscatel de Setúbal Datado: year of harvest. It means that this Moscatel de Setúbal is not blend</ em> or a mixture of different grapes. It is only Moscatel de Setúbal, from that year of harvest
Moscatel de Setúbal Não Datado: means that this Moscatel de Setúbal is blend</ em> or a mixture of different grapes. It is made of Moscatel of Setúbal grapes from different years of harvest.
Learn how to harmonize Moscatel de Setúbal:
NEW MOSCATÉIS DE SETÚBAL
(less than 5 years)
If there are friends and there is conversation, there must be Moscatel de Setúbal.
The Moscatel de Setúbal, in its youngest phase, is fruity, floral, silky, romantic in the mouth and attractive to look at. Ideal for drink with some dried fruit or tapas. It is the perfect pair for orange, lemon or chocolate candies. Its flavor, as intense as it is insinuating, refers to moments of freedom, freshness and lightness.
OLD AND SUPERIOR MOSCATÉIS DE SETÚBAL
(5 years or more)
Perfect for that moment of indulgence. And to go with jam and dry fruits / appetizers.
The old and Superior Moscatéis de Setúbal are wines with great personality, “generous” in the fullness of the word. They pair harmoniously with dark chocolate or any dessert based on chocolate, eggs, cinnamon or coffee. Golden in color, ranging from topaz to amber, velvety texture and intense palate, with notes of dried fruits, especially nuts, hazelnuts, raisins, spices and cherry and fig jams, as well as coffee and chocolate in the older ones. More than a drink made of intense, subtle and enigmatic flavors, it is a moment of freedom and indulgence – contemplative, introspective and refreshing. There are 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and over 40 years old moscatéis, some of them with more than 100 years of aging in barrel, being the ideal company for a good cigar.
A WELL CARED WINE WILL BE A VERY ENJOYED WINE.
SERVICE TEMPERATURE
What is the right service temperature and cares to take into account in order to serve a wine at its best? Given the diversity of occasions, wine ages and styles of Moscatel de Setúbal, this is always a question hard to answer. A Moscatel de Setúbal can be served as an aperitif, with the ideal temperature between 10º and 12ºC. Those used for this purpose are usually the youngest, most exuberant in aroma. However, depending on the service conditions, time of the year, room temperature, outdoor or indoor service, this temperature may drop slightly to between 8º and 10ºC. Regarding older Moscatéis de Setúbal (more than 5 years old), the temperature should rise to 12 to 14ºC. These are mostly served as dessert wines and, once again taking into account the service conditions, the temperature may rise to between 14th and 16th. However, there are those who consider that rarer and even older wines should be served between 16ºC and 18ºC. Make your experience and tell us how you prefer our Moscatel de Setúbal.
How to store the Moscatel de Setúbal: with the bottle stored upright (standing). Contrary to what is recommended in other wines (white, red and pink), Moscatel de Setúbal bottles must be stored vertically, especially the older ones, due to the sediment created with age. It is important to refer that the sediments are not dangerous, they are not the result of bad oenological practices, they are not a defect or a sign of carelessness. They are just the natural result of the vinification and stabilization procedures, which due to the high protein richness of these varietals (Moscatel de Setúbal and Moscatel Roxo) it is not possible to prevent them from forming. Also in the Moscatel de Setúbal, it is sometimes an option for the producer to intervene as little as possible in the winemaking and stabilization process before bottled it. In these cases too, the existence of some “sediment” is sometimes the “price to pay” to enjoy an even richer and more expressive wine. As Moscatel de Setúbal is a wine aged in an “oxidative” process, the bottle stored upright and the existence of some oxygen between the stopper and the wine, does not harm it.
Where to store Moscatel de Setúbal? It is suggested to keep it in a cool place, protected from light and with low thermal amplitude. The refrigerator isalways an option, but it is not best place because the exposure to low temperature for a long time enhances the appearance of the sediments, which are not a problem but do not cause a good impression.
How long to keep a Moscatel in Setúbal after opened? After opening the bottle, a Moscatel de Setúbal does not immediately lose its qualities. It depends, but as long as it is stored in good conditions after opened, it will continue to be a pleasure to taste it for several months.
