Beyond Spain
José Maria da Fonseca
Setúbal Moscatel is a dessert wine produced in Portugal on the Setúbal Peninsula, a region south of Lisbon which was recognized as a D.O.C. in 1907. The Setúbal Península has unique conditions to produce fortified wines from the Moscatel grape. The climate is influenced by the Tagus and Sado Rivers and the Serra da Arrábida hill range. In 2002, Jose Maria da Fonseca decided to brand its Moscatel as Alambre. Alambre was the name of the estate where José Maria da Fonseca first planted vines of the Moscatel grape variety, and also refers to wine's amber color. This wine is a blend of vintages, where the youngest wine is 20 years old and the oldest 40 years old, resulting in a fresh, complex and rich wine, the pride of José Maria da Fonseca.
José Maria da Fonseca is the oldest and one of the most prestigious wineries in Portugal, producing wines, Port and Setubal Moscatel. The Soares Franco family owns José Maria da Fonseca and has been involved in the wine business for over 160 years. With over 650 hectares of land under vine in our main wine regions: Douro, Alentejo and Terras do Sado, José Maria da Fonseca also boasts Portugal's largest winery, with a capacity to process 6.5 million litres of wine in a totally computerised operation.