5 Regions Tour - Travelogue

[Glenn E.]

I've been really busy for the last week, but have been enjoying reading as I've had time. Please keep 'em coming!

[Moses Botbol]

Douro is not my favorite dry wine region of Portugal, so hearing about some of the others is a good read.

[Roy Hersh]

Next stop – ALENTEJO

Four years ago, while judging at a national wine competition in Santarem, I had the privilege to meet João Portugal Ramos, amongst the top winemakers in Portugal, and owner of winery operations in a handful of Portugal’s fine wine regions, (Tejo, Alentejo, Beiras, Vinho Verde and Douro). He is known throughout the country as one of the true innovators in viticulture and oenology. Invited for an al fresco lunch at his Villa Santa winery in Alentejo, he provided an extensive tour of his operation followed by a lengthy tasting of just about every wine made there. I also had the opportunity to meet his partner from their Douro venture, Jose Maria Franco Soares, well known for his (and his father’s) winemaking prowess with Barca Velha, but also the co-owner in the Duorum project that I’ve written about since 2009.

So it was a natural place to revisit on our tour this year and João welcomed us with open arms. As he was in the midst of finalizing the plans for his daughter’s wedding a few days later and having a board of directors meeting that day, he told us he’d meet up with us at lunch and that until then we’d be in very good hands. He was certainly right, as assistant viticulturist Filipe Geraldo, (who has worked for JPR for the past 9 years) took us on a jeep drive to see some of their beautifully manicured vineyards surrounding Estremoz, an area known for marble quarries and exceptional vineyards.

We started by driving up to the awe inspiring Estremoz castle, constructed in the 13th century, with impressive 27 meter high walls keeping citizens safe from their enemies. The view from the castle’s grounds was surreal in its 360-degree panoramic perspective. The JPR vineyards throughout the region were shown to us as one could see for dozens of kilometers and Filipe provided insight into their 34 hectares of organic vineyards planted about three years ago. This is just a “small” parcel, considering JPR owns 250 hectares of vines in the area and also purchases the grapes from an additional 350 hectares which they have contracted.

J. Portugal Ramos’s main Alentejo property is Vila Santa, where we had started that morning. The prominent grapes they work with include: Castelão (formerly known as Perequita, until Jose Maria da Fonseca protested as that is a proprietary “brand” of theirs); also Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Petite Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alvarinho, Arinto, Roupeio, Rabo de Ovelha (which translates to “rear of the sheep”) and Syrah.

They use drip irrigation as needed based on the specific weather of the growing season, but unlike the Douro which regulates irrigation much more stringently, it is widely used here in the Alentejo and other regions in the central parts of the country. All of their vineyards are block planted, some of which are machine picked and some are harvested by hand. In one of their vineyards they are no longer able to plant vines, because ancient artifacts including old gravesites and skeletons were found and protected by the government.
We saw and learned the reasons behind using metal posts instead of wood for the vineyard trellises, something I’d never seen in Portugal. The reasons are elaborate and go far beyond the lower cost, longer life and ease of use. Due to the very warm temperatures attained during the summer months, harvest can begin as soon as August and usually wraps up in early October. The soil is a mix of schist and limestone-clay, and combined with the area’s continental climate, protected from the Atlantic Ocean, create near perfect conditions for grape farming.

The Vila Santa property is large and well appointed with all the most modern equipment available. It was built in 1997 and expanded in 2000. A most impressive winery, easily capable of continuing to grow in size and scope. We sat down for a tasting of more than a dozen white and reds from their various tiers before lunch was served. Another half dozen wines accompanied our lunch and we learned a lot more about the company and the wines at this time. The whites were really showing well, however there was one that stood above all the rest for me:

The 2013 Vila Santa Branco Reserva was my favorite of more than a half dozen whites. It is a gorgeous blend of Arinto, Alvarinho and Sauvignon Blanc. Elegant and sophisticated, this rich and sublime white wine has a complex core of pineapple and pear flavors with an off-dry sensibility, and aromatics that scream from the glass and linger long after the swallow. A really excellent bottling, that will be better as it ages another 3-12 years. 92+ points.

The reds were even harder to segregate as there was no weakness in the lineup, just a slew of very delicious wines. I’ve narrowed it down to my top three reds of the tasting that topped my scoring. All of these were paired with lunch, but we had plenty of time to spend with each one in the glass:

a. 2012 Marques de Borba Reserva – a handful of grapes made up this cuvee: Trincadeira, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon; vinified separately and then blended, aged in French oak for 18 months and showed some youthful oak notes up front with vanilla, smoke and cedar. Big-boned and brambly with figs and redcurrant, this could have used several hours in a decanter. Nonetheless, the depth and intricacy in the mid-section and massively structured fruit, showed upside for at least 15-22 years from here. The finish and grippy tannins combined for a power packed aftertaste and even at 32 Euros, I felt this was going to be a real stunner down the road, as I would not touch this wine for at least three or four more years. 94+ points

b. 2011 João Portugal Ramos “Estremus” – quickly shows signs of its marble laden soil and minerality. Dark and earthy aromas of black olive, pipe tobacco and cocoa provide a silhouette that was bolstered by licorice and black raspberry notes. The extra year in bottle gave this a slight edge over the aforementioned “Borba Reserva” and the massively fruited wine had not only intensity and focus, but the balance was impeccable and the velvety mouthfeel sublime in its approachability. A mix of Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet; there were 2800 bottles produced. Afterwards we were told the price is 80 Euros ex-cellars. While the long-term cellaring potential is easily 2 decades; the tannins were brash and there was a great acidic tensity and overall, the “Estremus” showed great persistence. This is a formidable upper end wine that exemplifies how good the breeding of reds is at JPR. 95+ points and in years to come maybe another point ... possibly two!

c. 2009 Marques de Borba Reserva – From magnum. While I really enjoyed the 2012 version, as mentioned above, the 2009 is a step up. What it gained by the extra few years in bottle, I believe the magnum format neutralized for the most part. However, the mouthfeel and symmetry presented the 2009 as more “complete” and refined. I wish I owned a few of these large format bottles … or even just a handful of 750s, as this is really outrageously good drinking with a stupendously sexy texture and finish that is off-the-charts. 95+ points.

We ended our visit with one of Duorum’s Ports, a generously fruited 2010 LBV. Loved it, even though it was paired with a sinful, volcanic dark chocolate cake, (I am not usually a huge fan of this type of chocolate … although it was really delectable) but the Duorum’s youthful black fruits were up to the challenge and showed exceptionally well. It was very nice to have a great Port and we thanked both João and José Maria and our other hosts for a really memorable experience.

Our next visit in the Alentejo was to one I'll never forget ... spending many hours at one of the greatest cult wine producers in Portugal, but the above recounting is long enough, so I will be back to post more soon.

[Bradley Bogdan]

Wow, sounds like a fantastic visit!


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[Glenn E.]

I can't wait to see pictures of that castle!

[Edgar B.]

The travelogue has been very informative. Thank you for losing sleep time to give us this detailed report.

[Roy Hersh]

In 1824, a British wine merchant named Thomas Reynolds came to Portugal and settled in the wine friendly city of Oporto. Later he moved to the Alentejo and opened a cork company along the Tagus River, (Ribeiro Tejo). The Alentejo region with its incredible cork forests spreading from the Algarve northwards to Lisboa, is blessed with fertile lands, splayed with oak and olive trees and vineyards a plenty.

Although still running their cork business, the Reynolds family managed the Herdade do Mouchão estate in the early 20th century. But it was Thomas’ grandson John Reynolds who learned to make wine and eventually purchased the esteemed Herdade do Mouchão, a rich property with around 900 hectares of wild land. He planted some of the early vineyards and in 1901, built the winery which still stands today and in which we spent a good part of our visitation. A branch of the original Reynolds family still owns and runs Mouchão today, but immediately post-1974 revolution, the government took control of the property and did not release it to the family until eleven years hence.

It was more than 35 degrees C. and humid when we arrived at the property mid-afternoon and immediately took a very long walk through the Mouchão vineyards, led by their commercial director. It felt like a stroll through a huge green steam bath. The vines average 40-50 years old, with quite a few in the 60-70 year range and some still surviving at over 100 years of age. The soil could literally grow just about anything, rich and fertile and with a sandy top soil and clay sub-layer that requires no irrigation.

The sun was baking and after an hour of getting to know the vineyards of this now 1,000 hectare property, (38 of which is planted to vine, 50 ha to olive groves and many more to honey, eucalyptus and an abundance of animal species) we returned to the adega. The various vineyards are planted ad hoc throughout the property. The higher altitude vineyard, “Carapetros” gets plenty of access to water and others reside at 230 meters above sea level. Some of their other vineyards, which produce Mouchão’s great red wines, are planted at an even higher elevations.

Mouchão is housed in a rustic facility, in stark contrast to the exquisitely manicured and perfectly appointed J. Portugal Ramos winery that we had enjoyed earlier in the day. The history of Mouchão could literally be smelled when walking in the door and in fact, they still use the original grape press that was installed in 1901. In addition to their wine business, in 1929 the family set up a distillery operation that still exists today and some of the early equipment can be seen while visiting; the aguardente itself made from their estate-grown Alicante Bouschet grapes.

They also produce a very special fortified wine, “Mouchão Licoroso”, which should not be missed. Its vinification and fortification closely replicates the process of Port wine, yet aging takes place in 1,000 liter oak casks for a minimum of four years. Somewhat similar in style to Port, albeit the flavors would not be confused, this is a really delicious sticky that ranges between 18-22% alcohol by volume.

While Alicante Bouschet was first planted on the property in 1874 (I believe that was the right year), old bottles of Mouchão (red) can be found from back to 1954, the first vintage bottled and not sold in bulk. A few years ago, Dirk Niepoort generously opened an incredibly hedonistic bottle of 1963 for me during a dinner at his Porto home, and the fond memory of that particular bottle has never left my brain and was the raison d’être for ensuring a visit to this property the first chance I had. While commencing the planning of our tour and in revisiting Alentejo, it was the first property on my “must visit” list. That’s the effect Dirk’s incredible 1963 bottle had on me!

We learned that it is commonplace for employees working at Mouchão to stick around for many years, some for their entire career, as was customary for their ancestors. Winemaker, João Alabaça is no exception and he has been loyal to Mouchão and producing incredibly beautiful wines for the past two decades; as did his antecedents back to the 19th century. He is assisted by Portugal’s famed “flying winemaker” Paulo Loureano, who began working at Mouchão as a consulting oenologist about the same time that João arrived.
There are eight wines produced at Mouchão and David explained that the wines are aged in Brazilian hardwood, mahogany and other oak barrels. The very best of which are stored in casks numbered #3 and #4 to be exact. The most prominent white grape varieties used are: Arinto, Perrum and Antão Vaz; and the reds are Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional and Franca, Syrah, Aragonês and Trincadeira.

I could continue writing about this singular visit until tomorrow, as it was one of my favorites during our vacation, but then you’d have no reason to join us in the future.  I believe we will be visiting this property every year from now on, when doing the “5 Regions Tour.” The tasting was mind-blowing and it took place very quietly, as all of us were deep in thought, as these are truly ponderous Portuguese gems. Mouchão’s flagship wine is certainly on a par with Barca Velha, and/or anything else produced in Portugal in terms of sheer decadence and overall quality, just to give you an idea of how highly I respect what is produced here.
A few of my favorites, described briefly:

Mouchão’s 2013 Dom Rafael white wine was a blend of 55% Antão Vaz and the balance is from Arinto grapes. While this sells for around $10 in the USA, in my opinion, it is a fantastic bargain considering what it delivers in sheer aromatics and on the palate. It is fresh, minerally and sees no oak. That being said, it delivers a smoky, actually more of a toasty nuance and offers notes of almonds and tropical fruits, with pure vanilla and undertones of rip banana. Later on scents of some lime and biscuit characters emerge. Buttery, ripe and leaving zero doubt that this would cellar beautifully for 10-15 years, all I can say is that I hope to try the renowned 2002 vintage someday too. This was up there with some of the best white wine of the entire tour. I was being stingy with my 92+ points. 16,000 bottles produced.

Mouchão’s 2012 Dom Rafael red wine is considered their “entry level” red as it is priced just slightly above the white. The name Rafael relates to Rafael Reynolds, the original winemaker of this property and son of the founder. Approximately 1/3 each: Trincadeira, Aragonez (known in the Douro as Tinta Roriz) and Alicante Bouschet. The wine is very young at the moment and due to the tannins, I’d suggest leaving it rest for another two years. Dark fruited with flavors of cassis, cranberry and currants in a medium-bodied and dry style. Known as “Baby Mouchão” it is a bit tightly wound and tannic at the moment, but has the stuffing to drink nicely for another decade. At the end, a dry, chalky and medium length finish. 89+ points.

The next wine was really inspiring; and at a considerably higher level of refinement. 2011 Ponte das Canas is the “new kid on the block” at Mouchão although it has been around for a while. The name comes from a special place in their vineyard, and had it not been so blazing hot and humid, we’d have walked to see the “Bridge of Bamboo.” A fine mix of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca and Nacional, as well as some Syrah. It ages in oak for two years and then gains an additional year of bottle aging before it is commercially released. It sells for approximately $20 in the USA and is a “Best Buy” at that price, in my opinion. There was a smoky almost burnt rubber note that I attributed to the funk that I get from Touriga Nacional on occasion, but this did not distract or deter and was later met by a pleasant high-toned violet scent that I did not detect initially. Fade to black … as in tar, pepper and licorice, not to mention the berry and fig flavor profile. Juicy, round, med-weight, spicy and a char nuance that I liked. Although well-structured, this struck me more as a feminine style and far softer than either the previous red or subsequent big red, even though the tannic grasp was pretty serious. Hold out another three years when this will be far more easy to consume but it will drink very well from 2018-2030. Foot tread in lagares, this was an intense red and just needs a bit of time. 93+ points.

The flagship red is Herdade do Mouchão and we were consuming the 2010 version. Later that night at a fine restaurant in the heart of Estremoz, I found a bottle of the highly recommended 2009 for 39.5 Euros and was only sad that just one bottle remained on the shelf. In the USA, the retail price typically starts at $35-40, but with any kind of age, these increase in value quite quickly, but even more so in Portugal where this is truly considered a cult wine and becomes scarce in a hurry. A two grape blend with 85% Alicante Bouschet and 15% Trincadeira, it delivers a memorable impression with swirling aromas of brambly black and blue berry fruit and that tell-tale violet character, along with hints of pecan, Indian spices and pine. It is really sophisticated and worth sniffing repeatedly. Whereas the nose left me with the mistaken impression that this would be impenetrable, I found it unexpectedly approachable and friendly from the first sip. Concentrated, complex and mostly dark fruited from the Alicante, the Trincadeira is responsible for the brash tannins and great acidity, as this grape uniquely contains both red skin and red pulp too. While the tannins are ripe, the essence of the fruit juxtaposed with the acid tension leaves little doubt that this will be a great wine even a quarter of a century (or more) down the road. And in a great Mouchão vintage like 2009, four decades or more of drinking pleasure is certainly not out of the question. Usually it is released between 4 and 5 years of age, two of which are spent in wood. I would have loved to spend two to three days revisiting this bottle, but will get to do so with my lone bottle of the 2009 that I hand-carried back home. The 2010 Mouchão most likely will never reach the level of the earlier vintage, yet it was an easy red wine to anoint with 95 points.

Before departing what was a long and fruitful first visit, our half day, well into night with David as our vine and wine guru, is one that I will never forget. He poured one last wine for us, the aforementioned Licoroso, from fortified 100% Alicante Bouschet. Its boysenberry and milk chocolate impressions and sublime texture were the perfect way to finish our intoxicating experience at Mouchão!

[Andy Velebil]

Thanks again for the recaps, love reading them.

[Eric Ifune]

I may need to think about the 5 regions in 2016!

[Roy Hersh]

Brief observations:

Touriga Nacional is a grape that shows very different expressions in each region we visited. Used to the version from Douro where there is "similar typicity"-- in the other regions this grape shows many other distinct characteristics and certainly different profiles.

Alicante Bouschet, a grape that never realizes greatness in French versions, excels in Portugal. While Touriga Nacional has been called, "The red grape of Portugal" I believe a very sound argument can be made for Alicante, as it is a major cultivar and extremely expressive throughout every other region we visited.

Arinto, a beautiful white grape that I had the time and inclination to really look at in all of its various versions, taught me that it is not only age worthy, but aromatically profound. Wines in which it is the dominant grape all possess a creamy and rich mouthfeel, and more so, an oily character, especially as the wine warms up a few degrees.

While Douro still is the sweet spot and the region that I know best when it comes to table wines, what I experienced in the other regions from their table wines is the extraordinary quality-price-ratio. There is greater bandwidth for value oriented wines that deliver at a high level in these other regions than I find in the Douro where one can argue the prices reflect the greater production costs.

Just a few things that came to mind while traveling this week.

[Bradley Bogdan]

I believe the Ponte das Canas was available from Wine Library and featured as a value fairly recently. Don't recall the vintage, but very cool to have some back story. Sounds like I'll have to pick some up!

Roy, you mention greater mechanization in the regions you're visiting v the Douro (where there is very little), would you say it's a comparable level to the average winery in the U.S., or is it somewhere in between for whatever reason (hand labor is cheap, shooting for greater quality, haven't invested in it, vineyards are too old, etc)?


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[Roy Hersh]

It has more to do with the much higher yields in these other regions than anything else. It would take too much effort and the land is also quite flat in most of the vineyards, maybe some elevations here and there, but nothing that would prevent mechanized picking. There are some producers we visited where there is only hand picking going on, but that is definitely the minority position in this case. Douro is way steeper and trickier and very little mechanized picking takes place. They see the difference qualitatively too.

[Al B.]

Great reportage and really good to read the reports from some key producers outside the Douro. I might even have been persuaded to be a bit more open minded and to try something from outside the Douro DOC region.

Are you now back in Seattle?

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the kind words. I returned from Portugal and got home at 2 a.m. (several hour delay after a 5.5 hour layover in Newark, after arriving there from Lisbon a week ago. Literally two hours after walking in the door, we left for the airport to fly nearly all the way back across the USA. Suffice it to say I didn't sleep and my mind/body took a hit. We were heading for my wife's family in Michigan and after a funeral for her dad ... left there today.

I am on a train from MI to Chicago where our family will spend a few days vacationing, my birthday celebration at a "dream" restaurant I've wanted to visit and other fun stops there before heading to DC for five days to take in the 4th of July from the grounds of the US Capitol and rekindling a friendship that was torn away 40 years ago. I have been finishing these recent posts from on the road and will get one more done before we reach Chicago.

I lost access to email even though I was able to access FTLOP/FB for the past week. Long story. Anyway, as soon as I return, I will put the finishing touches on a long newsletter which is 80% complete. Tried to get it done prior to heading to PT but failed.

[Andy Velebil]

Do you know which of these producers you've visited are generally available (at least to some degree) in the States? Always looking to try new things from the Motherland.

[Roy Hersh]

Setubal, twice in a month.

Having just been to Setubal during our recent Fortification Tour, it was literally less than four weeks since our past visit to this region.

We repeated the producers even though we tasted some different wines on each appointment. Our first perspective was from a sense of discovery; the second was pointedly aimed at providing the USA with a meet up of a great American W. coast importer and the two producers you will read about.

While our first visit was with a producer that I bet few if any FTLOPer has ever heard of … (even if in Portugal!) Casa Agricola Horacio Simoes (est. 1910) even though small, if not obscure; the participants who joined us on either tour will assuredly confess how outstanding this producer of Moscatel de Setubal actually is. A very modest and family-owned operation with a total output of Moscatel circa 300,000 liters, they also produce white and red table wines that are quite good, but their Moscatel offerings can reach levels that rival the heights of Jose Maria da Fonseca. That is saying a lot, given their polar opposite levels of renowned and media coverage.

Entering the Simoes’ quaint and anachronistic Quinta do Anjo in the middle of a small but bustling village … several kilometers from their grape growing area that is located outside of town, just up the hill and by the local church … one immediately had a sense of the time warp that captured our attention. The rich history of this property and Simoes family was “interpreted” for us by a gentleman named João who trades his knowledge and language skills for wine and Moscatel from the family. The family members do not speak English, but joined us during lunch and the grandfather who did not, allowed us to take some incredible photos before we got started. Nearing 100, he recounted stories that charmed all of us.

We had the good fortune to taste several wines and Moscatels from cask and saw some unique pieces of winemaking and bottling equipment and then the “public” parts of the facility. I mention “public” in parentheses because it is apparent this is not a producer that wants or typically allows tourism, nor do they really care that they don’t have more of it. Seemingly they do have folks from the neighborhood come in to their gift shop, (with its separate entrance on a busy street) lined with bottles and other knick knacks.

Simoes has only a few export markets, they remain focused on the domestic front and as they do not have large quantities of production, their wines remain mostly unknown except within their own region or for serious dessert wine aficionados. We were fortunate to try some of the rarities like Bastardo, and on our last tour we tried JMdF’s “Bastardinho” or “Little Bastard”. The other rare grape is known as Moscatel “Roxo” and it is a purple grape that is grown closer to the Peninsula part of Setubal and is known for producing wines of explosive and complex flavors. The reason just might be the fact that Roxo grapes yield less than half, (typically around 4 tons / ha) while the main Moscatel cultivar yields about 10 tons / ha. The Roxo grapes are left on their skins for a year in pipe and then pressed, gaining further concentration and unique intricate nuances.

Even some of the entry level Moscatel de Setubal that sells for 8-9 Euros in shops, “Vinho Generoso” can be very good, although quite young. When I say good, I mean bottles that you would be happy to drink any day of the week or even with wine geek friends. Scrumptious stuff! As the wines we tasted went further back in time things started to get really interesting.

One bottling labeled, “Excellent Moscatel Roxo” was a blend of juice from 3 harvests, but only made once per decade. This has only happened twice, once recently (2001/2003/2007) and the other time was in the 1990s. To give you a quick idea of how great this was, it was a pure 95 pointer, in my book. Others had it even higher. My descriptor list of aromatics and flavors tops two dozen distinct items. Then we got onto the way back machine and some special bottles.

Older bottlings became even more interesting and one ancient cask sample that was put before us, bottled for our visit -- was about as good as any Moscatel I’ve tried before. But that one I am not allowed to put in print, so suffice it to say … this property has some hidden gems that are stupendous but in single cask quantities and who knows how much is left in these small size barrels?

Along with lunch we tasted through their lineup of white and red table wines and similar to our first visit, although lunch was different, the wines innately complemented the dishes before us. Lunch was outstanding and the wines appreciated by all of us. One last bottle of Moscatel de Setubal accompanied dessert and surprised the group. I think they were trying to put an exclamation point on our visitation and winning over our accompanying importer. In that way, they truly succeeded. This visit could have sated us until dinner, but we had one more appointment to attend to, so we thanked our hosts and headed down the road into another village and …

[Roy Hersh]

Just when you thought I had given up writing the rest of the report … not.

Our 2nd stop in Setubal was to visit what I consider to be the singular best producer of the Muscat grape in the world. Jose Maria da Fonseca was founded in 1834 and has been continuously owned and managed by the same family; current members of the 7th generation.

Typically, when one ponders the wonder that is Moscatel de Setubal, the name J.M. da Fonseca immediately comes to mind. With 80 vintages amassing 400,000 liters of their stunning Moscatel still in the cellar, (which doesn’t begin to include all bottlings of their Moscatel with indication of age and other unique bottlings) this is clearly the region’s most significant player. That is true both at home in Portugal and with an astounding 80% of their production exported to 70 markets around the globe.

A leader in so many ways and for so many years; their Lancer’s Rosé sold over 1 million cases in the USA -- by the end of the 1970s! And it is still going strong today. With well over 30 different brands in their portfolio, JMdF’s most notable table wine is Periquita, a wine brand that originated at the mid-point of the 19th century and is known around the globe as one of Portugal’s most visible table wines and in fact, was its very first. To give you an idea how powerful this wine brand is … the same name “Periquita” was used as a widely grown red grape in several Portuguese wine regions, but because of the historic nature of the JMdF wine brand, the name of the grape was changed on all wine labels in Portugal to Castelão.

JMdF was not only the very first company in the country to bottle table wines, but achieved this on a machine that produced about 240 bottles per hour. Their modern day equipment can efficiently handle a few more bottles, at 30,000 per hour. On a broader scale, they produce 6.5 million liters of wine annually, from nearly 650 hectares of vines.

Beyond the grand scope of their production, the qualitative side of the spectrum is what sets this fine producer apart from its peers. Having tried Muscat, Moscato, Moscatel and other variations on the theme, I am a big fan of the grape and while some from Italy, Australia, France, So. Africa and Madeira, (in particular) have won me over at times, at least for my palate, the JMdF Moscatel de Setubal can achieve greater heights than any of the others.

The major domo and current winemaker, Domingos Soares Franco is a fun loving and engaging individual who has an innate sense of not only the wines of Setubal, but Portuguese wines and many from beyond his country’s borders. In 1980, Domingos graduated from UC Davis, America’s finest vini / viticultural program. His nephew Antonio is the family’s commercial director and handles the export business. He joined us for the extensive tasting that followed.

I will skip directly to some of the fine Moscatels that were presented by Domingos and Antonio:

We started with some of the young guns, to show the evolution and different varieties of the particular Moscatel grapes, the majority of which descend from the Muscat Alexandria, but the famed Moscatel Roxo is the other big player. These fortified beauties remain in neutral casks until the time at which they are bottled.

The tasting began with a rather young 2010 Alambre, a modest child-like wine that had yet to develop a complicated character, but showed its future promise with light nectarine and golden raisin essentials. A 2004 “DSF” named for the winemaker offered us the opportunity to see what 10 years of cask aging in a neutral Armagnac barrel could produce. A light bodied and nutty wine, quite sweet and tasty but simple … as was a 2005 DSF “Roxo” which came from a completely different and purple grape, which provided greater intricacy and mid-range depth. Next up was a 1999 that matured in a Cognac cask, my personal favorite of the first four wines … by a long shot. This sixteen year old was already one that I would buy and enjoy now. Its interplay between smoky cedar and cigar notes along with almond paste and apricot flavors was really appealing, approachable and with greater intensity and length.

The next selections focused on the complete range of 10 – 20 – 30 – 40 year olds, which designated the minimum age of the blend and not the average or likeness of a similarly aged vintage wine … as in TWAIOA (Port). The 30 year old was my sweet spot and offered phenomenal depth of bouquet and torrefacted flavors and seemed much older than even the 40, even knowing the latter wine included a modicum of 1900 in the blend. The 30 year old is a beauty that showed grace and focus, with soaring acidity and a remarkably velvety texture. A voluptuous vixen!

Rumors that have circled on this Forum were proven to be mistaken, as we explored one of my favorite Moscatels, (not including ancient bottles of Torno Viagem or old vintage dated bottlings) the 20 Year Old Roxo. While the 20 year old Alambre version that makes its way to the USA is a nice wine, it lacks the profound sophistication that the Roxo grape brings to the party.
My personal goal was to see this specific bottling reach the shores of the USA after more than a decade since the last shipment was sent across the pond. So I brought an importer along for this specific purpose. I also felt it was important to have one other Moscatel brought to the USA for the first time that I am aware of, although this is pricey juice, it may just be one of the greatest Moscatels of all.

We ended on a high note, tasting JMdF’s awe inspiring “Trilogia” Moscatel de Setubal. A blend of the three greatest commercial vintages ever to be released: 1900, 1934 (which I last tasted in 1997) and what Domingos considers to be the “best ever made” … the 1955. This cuvee was dark as coffee with a wide green rim, highlighting the age of the blend. I will include a more distinctive tasting note for this wine, when the importer can work out a deal to bring it to the USA. Their arm was firmly twisted, so expect this to be just a matter of time.

At the end of our tasting, we thanked Domingos and Antonio and headed to our beautiful hotel situated in a very quiet part of the old Estremadura region which is now simply called the Lisboa wine region. More to come as time permits.

[Andy Velebil]

I still have a bottle or two of the 20 year Roxo left. Awesome stuff.

[Steve Pollack]

Great notes, Roy. Thanks. Could there be an FTLOP buying opPORTunity in our future?

[Eric Ifune]

I'm also a fan of their 30 year old Bastardinho Generoso. I'm thinking it's the best Bastardo wine I've had. Not as sweet as the Moscatel, but a lot of depth and richness. Unfortunately the vinyards don't exisit anymore.