DO Setúbal, the famous fortified wine from just south of Lisbon, is said to have been the toast of Royal courts since the 14th century. In 2024, the top-scoring performance of DO Setúbal at the Decanter World Wine Awards and Muscats du Monde competition demonstrates its continuing world-class quality across entry-level, premium and prestige expressions.
Bucking the trend among fortified wines, DO Setúbal is seeing year-on-year growth in both production and sales, and increasing stylistic diversity. Sales have almost doubled since 2000, and more consumers are discovering the sensational aromatics and harmonious balance that stem from its characterful place of origin and historic winemaking process.
Moderating influences
South of Lisbon, across the Tagus estuary, DO Setúbal sits on a peninsula bounded by the Tagus river to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Sado estuary to the south.
Humid breezes from these surrounding waters temper the sunny, dry climate, creating ideal conditions for intensely aromatic, flavoursome Moscatel with crisp acidity.
Bacalhôa’s warm ‘greenhouse’ cellar allows the wines to develop striking complexity. Credit: Bacalhôa
Contrasting terroirs
The warmer eastern plains account for more than 80% of the total area of DO Setúbal vineyards. Their heat-retentive sandy soils yield moreish, textured wines.
To the west, vineyards on the north-facing, clay-limestone slopes of the Arrábida hills ripen grapes particularly slowly, producing elegant, well-structured wine.
Credit: JP Map Graphics Ltd
The many faces of Moscatel
Two Moscatel varieties also add to DO Setúbal’s diversity. Grown on 661ha, white Moscatel de Setúbal (Muscat of Alexandria) presents aromas and flavours of citrus, orange blossom and, with age, marmalade.
Less widely grown (just 63ha), Moscatel Roxo de Setúbal is earlier-ripening, with small pink-purple berries. Scents of dried roses and fresher acidity lend it an elegant profile.
An idiosyncratic ageing & maceration process
Uniquely among fortified wines, DO Setúbal typically spends three to six months on skins after fermentation and fortification. This extracts the maximum aroma, flavour and structure, while imparting a pleasant, subtle bitterness (think citrus peel and pith) to balance the sweetness – another reason why even entry-level DO Setúbal wines offer such value for money.
DO Setúbal must age for at least 18 months (White Moscatel de Setúbal) or 36 months (Moscatel Roxo de Setúbal); barrel-ageing can produce huge gains in complexity, especially with the right cellar conditions. The longer the wine spends in barrel and the warmer the cellar, the more concentrated and complex it becomes.
Wood imparts delicious spice, caramel and nuttiness and, with time, dried fruit and rich, honeyed flavours. Warm ‘greenhouse’ conditions in Bacalhôa’s barrel cellars, with large temperature swings, produce its signature nuttier, rancio-led style.
Conditions in the Setúbal peninsula’s eastern plains are generally warmer.
José Maria da Fonseca
No producer can showcase the phenomenal ageability of Moscatel de Setúbal like José Maria da Fonseca, founded in 1834, whose stock includes exceptionally smooth, complex centenarian single-vintage wines.
DO Setúbal is also bottled in sophisticated blends of several harvests, aged from five to 40 years old. The age on the bottle indicates the youngest wine in the blend.
With around 20 producers in the region today, innovations continue, with different fortifying spirits (Cognac and Armagnac) and ageing vessels: concrete amphorae, cement eggs and barrels seasoned with different spirits (whisky, tequila and even aquavit). As the festive season draws near and our thoughts turn to celebratory meals – not to mention special gifts – there’s been no better time to choose Moscatel from DO Setúbal.
Eight DO Setúbal wines to try
Casa Ermelinda Freitas Moscatel de Setúbal NV 92pts
Sweetly aromatic: orange blossom, candied peel, raisins and maple syrup, with bright, balancing acidity. This benchmark entry-level example macerated on skins for five months and spent two years in barrel.
Alc 17.5% | Residual sugar (RS) 130g/L
UK importers Atlântico UK / The Wine Society
Pegões Contemporal Moscatel Roxo de Setúbal 2014 94pts
Flamboyant, with exotic rosewater and stem ginger perfume, peach tea, dried apricot fruit. Creamy, nutty wood (from 42 months in French and US oak) with a persistent acid backbone – great value.
Alc 18.5% | RS 132g/L
UK importer Hallgarten Novum Wines
Quinta do Piloto Moscatel de Setúbal Aged in Concrete Ânfora 2021 93pts
Elegant and intensely aromatic: citrus peel, caramelised orange, lingering barley sugar and fresh acidity to the lissom finish. Grapes from calcareous and sandy parcels are fermented and aged in concrete amphorae.
Alc 17% | RS 142g/L
UK importer Raymond Reynolds
Venâncio da Costa Lima Reserva da Familia Roxo 2018 94pts
From six months on skins and four years in French oak, seamlessly integrated wood imparts length and backbone to a honeyed palate with soaring dried rose petals, silky peach tea and dried fig.
Alc 17% | RS 188g/L
UK importer Gauntleys
Palmela Wine Company Moscatel de Setúbal 5 Anos NV 93pts
Smooth and rich yet balanced and sophisticated, with lingering, unctuous apricot glaze, marmalade, juicy white currants and caramel. Sourced from sandy soils, the average age of the blend is five years old.
Alc 17% | RS 182g/L
UK importer Raymond Reynolds
Horácio Simões 10 Anos 1999 93pts
All honeyed Hunza apricots with stem ginger and cinnamon spice, nuts and raisins. From calcareous soils and macerated for six months on skins, this limited edition is well-structured with attractive spirit drive and warmth.
Alc 17.1% | RS 195.6g/L
UK importer Festa Wines
Bacalhôa Moscatel Roxo de Setúbal Superior 20 Anos 2002 97pts
Long, with praline, cedar and café crème cigar nuances to the velvet-smooth peach tea, dried apricot and chinotto orange peel palate. Elegant, precise finish with beautifully integrated spirit and sweetness.
Alc 20% | RS 222g/L
UK importer Erhmanns
José Maria da Fonseca Alambre 40 Anos NV 97pts
Luscious, with concentrated dried fig, raisin and citrus peel alongside marzipan, black cardamom, cedar and cinnamon. From calcareous soils, firm acidity and notes of walnut and tangy chutney deftly counter the sweetness.
Alc 18.7% | RS 187 g/L
UK importer Marta Vine
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