Porto Extravaganza 2018 (5th edition) – Part 2

Palácio de Seteais, Sintra

Part 2: Moscatéis of Setúbal José Maria da Fonseca by Domingos Soares Franco 1911-2014

The “Bar do Binho” Bar House of Port, classic House in Sintra, led by Paulo Cruz, charismatic figure in the world of Portuguese wine, have the thanks of all of us, interested in the world of wine, for making, apparently, the harbor Extravaganza, a annual event and this time adding the world of generous, Ports, Madeiras and Moscatel of Setúbal, in a single weekend epic, extraordinary and unique.

I left for this day dedicated to the Moscatel de Setúbal of José Maria da Fonseca, with great enthusiasm and even a bit of anxiety. However knowing beforehand the “Nectars” found in evidence, was convinced that it would be a fantastic and unique proof.
However, hovered the ghost of the previous day, it would be very difficult to forget that epic day to prove Madeira wines from another world presented and commented by this inescapable figure in the history of madeira wine, Ricardo Diogo responsible for House Barbeito.

Having supposedly at ease and relaxation of Ricardo Diogo, the younger age of this, perhaps, Domingos Soares Franco emerged a little more formal, but by no means less interesting, because the story of José Maria da Fonseca, walks him the veins and their experiences, we enrich at that degustámos his words with appreciation and thanks.

Before the race, commented Domingos Soares Franco, Paulo Cruz presented your guest, who in the Organization of thematic evidence did not establish any criterion of choice of wines in evidence and that would be the speaker to have the liberty to surprise us with the wine list that better fit in an event like this.

Was then beginning to prove by Domingos Soares Franco, commented that began by telling us that the Setúbal moscatel grape variety was brought from Alexandria in Egypt by the Knights of the order of Malta in the 19th century.

Let us then the description of wines in evidence:

The Wines:

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL TORNA VIAGEM 2014 TESTEMUNHA

The Torna Viagem wines presumably have been invented by the Norwegians, taking the wines with them in oak casks in their travels.

The José Maria da Fonseca has recreated these trips with some hooves on board from moscatel roxo, in collaboration with the Portuguese Navy School ship Sagres, inter alia, by means of comparison is in their caves a hull that doesn’t make the trip, called, witness, to be able to evaluate by comparison, significant changes or not, those same trips.

This Moscatel Witness came forward with a pleasant flavour of honey and citrus peel, in mouth, harmonious, elegant, demonstrating balance and freshness. A moscatel roxo pleasant but without great pretensions.
Points: 15p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL TORNA VIAGEM 2014 – BRASIL

Domingos Soares Franco reveals that on your trip to the Brazil crossing the Ecuador in the year 2015 and having returned in 2016, by humidity, salinity, swing of the hulls at sea and sudden temperature changes, sometimes around the 50 degrees Celsius along the trip, allows evaporation of 3% and an aging, about 15 to 20 years, which will give us certainly significant differences to the Testemunha.

In fact, we were able to prove without any doubt that difference, since it presents a moscatel, with a darker color, more evolved, even saline flavours, very nice, more honey, honey very elegant, the most elegant of 3, more harmonious, a set with an excellent evolution compared to the Moscatel.
Points: 16.5p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL TORNA VIAGEM US

This Moscatel, traveled the year 2017, however, reveals few differences in relation to the Testemunha, and if features more blurred, with deposit, but without that salinity Makes Brazil Trip feature that makes it really different.
Points: 15p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL COLECÇÃO PRIVADA DSF ARMAGNAC

It was in 1998 that Domingos Soares Franco, using grapes from the same vineyard decided to make wine moscatel, stopping the fermentation with 4 different spirits, a neutral, one of the French region of Armagnac, another French region of Cognac and the fourth with 50% of the last two Curiously the moscatel with armgnac or cognac is still illegal in this country.
Very fruity flavour, orange, honey, dried fruit, of great complexity in the mouth, very elegant, round, soft, ending with freshness and persistence. nectar of great level.
Points: 17p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL DSF COGNAC

Stop fermentation with brandy from the region of Cognac, gives us a wine also of great level, in a little more citrinic flavour, in the mouth, also round, soft, but a little more alcoholic, fresh and persistent finish.
Points:16,5p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL ALAMBRE 20 ANOS

This Moscatel originates from a batch of 19 crops, having 20 years younger and 80 years old, amber coloured, aromatic complexity of tropical fruit and honey (in Moscatel was not added caramel), elegant in the mouth, although if you notice a little alcohol with a final long. Beautiful moscatel.
Points: 17p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL ROXO 20 ANOS

Lot of 4 crops, the newest has 23 years and the oldest 80 years. Spices in the flavour, taste and very fruity, Orange and caramel notes in the mouth, reveals more sweetness and more youth than the last, very smooth, round end extended.
Points: 17,5p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL APOTECA 1911

Wine bottled in the week preceding the event, dark brown color, brilliant, deep intensity, clean nose, very complex flavours to dry fruits and spices, very sweet in the mouth, the noted the mel and a fantastic caramel, of high acidity, but with a fineness, delicacy, and unforgettable elegance.
Points: 18.5p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL SUPERIOR 1955

Were made just 150 bottles of 50 cl, bottled for 3 years and in the opinion of Domingos Soares Franco is the best harvest moscatel ever held.
We quickly realized why your statement very Brown in color, even darker than the previous, very complex flavour and balanced, in terms of structure, sweetness and acidity, with extraordinary freshness in the mouth that balances the natural sweetness and the wine has concentration. In order to prove something unforgettable pleasure.
Points: 19p

// MOSCATEL SETUBAL TRILOGIA 1900-1934-1965

To celebrate the new century and the new Millennium was created the moscatel trilogy, a rare and Special Edition, the result of a combination of 3 large crops of the 20th century, chosen by winemaker Domingos Soares franco.
The trilogy is limited to 2400, 1200 litres bottles placed on the market in October 1999.
Glittering start with a scent of another world, super complex and intense with notes of dried fruit, taste sweet, complex also freshness (called “litle vinegar”) and long.
Points: 18.5p

// BASTARDINHO 40 ANOS 50 cl

For a long time made the little bastard of 25 years later came the 20 years and by aging the following bases of 30 years.
Not able to keep 30-year advanced profile for 40 years.
This wine is a blend composed of several crops, being the youngest of 40-somethings and older around 80 years old, are the last 2300 litres of the little bastard of Azeitão, even though José Maria da Fonseca planted in 2005 an acre from the Trousseau in the near future will be difficult to produce a nectar as sublime as this.

Comes from grapes of caste Bastard (Trousseau) that existed between the Costa da Caparica and Lavradio, having been uprooted, due to urban growth. Then, in 1983, received the last ton of grapes from these vines, with about 90 years of with a potential alcohol of 18 degrees which came to cause this nectar.

Amber coloured, very loaded, fabulous flavour of remarkable complexity, extremely fruity aromatic dried fruit, figs, honey and spices, with subtlety, elegance and great balance.
In the mouth, beautiful freshness “vinagrinho”, extraordinary body, full, complex and with remarkable persistence end.
Extraordinary.
Points: 19p

FINAL NOTES

• Thanks to Paulo Cruz, inveterate lover of port wine, I opened the door to the Bar of the House Port, moscatel Roselle, which allowed, proof that put the Moscatel side by side in the sky, along with port wine and wood as fruit NECTARS made sublime, extraordinary and unforgettable.
• The location of the event, Rico in history, charm and beauty, made the event magical and unforgettable.
• For wine4people the 1955 Moscatel superior and the Bastardinho 40 years are the big winners of this event, bringing the Moscatel the fruit NECTARS made from another world
• The Organization of Paulo Cruz and team, efficient, considerate, generous and passionate.

THANK YOU

M.B. w4p (MAR 2018)