About the Wine
Some years ago, 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 the wine’s amber color. Dedicated to producing wine in a sustainable fashion, Jose Maria da Fonseca is on the cutting edge of wine production.
Under the guidance of Domingos Soares Franco - the first Portuguese winemaker to graduate from the recognized University of Davis in California - a team of hand-picked winemakers are responsible for undertaking a wide range of research, studies, experiments, and innovation that make José Maria da Fonseca a pioneer in much of what is done in terms of enology in Portugal and in the world. This is a job that starts in the vineyard, covers the entire production process, and ends in the bottled wine.
Nestled south of Lisbon, the Setúbal Peninsula boasts a unique climate influenced by the Tagus and Sado Rivers and the Serra da Arrábida hill range. The Mediterranean characteristics, with hot, dry days and humid nights, create the perfect conditions for producing fortified wines of unparalleled quality.
José Maria da Fonseca is committed to sustainable winemaking, ensuring that each bottle of Alambre Moscatel de Setúbal not only delights the senses but also respects the environment. This dedication to sustainability and innovation has positioned José Maria da Fonseca as a leader in the global wine industry.
This wine is a blend of 19 vintages, where the youngest wine is at least 20 years old and, the oldest is near 80 years old, resulting in a fresh, complex and rich wine, the pride of José Maria da Fonseca.
Aging: Used oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: 100% Moscatel. Amber color with an aroma of glacé orange, coffee, caramel, hazelnuts, and rosemary. Its palate is fruity and soft, leading to a very long finish.
Reviews
This fortified wine is the color of tarnished gold. It boasts a fresh tangerine flavor that's balanced by almond, caramel and honeyed richness. Drink now. ~94 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
The NV Alambre 20 Years Old Moscatel de Setúbal is Fonseca's fortified blend of vintages—in this case, it's 1996, 1984, 1979, 1978, 1965 and 1911 (only a trace but "enough to give it some acidity and concentration," said winemaker Domingos Soares Franco). It comes in with 169 grams of residual sugar and a long cork. It was bottled in 2018, which date is on the back label. This is a different animal compared to the more restrained 10 Year.This adds lushness, flavor and sugar. It's complex, but it is not as brandy-dominated anymore, seeming brighter and livelier while also being more concentrated. The long finish is textured with velvet and endless peach-to-apricot flavors. This is certainly not the best wine of the group, but it's the best balanced, fresh and the best relationship between value and quality. ~93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
JM da Fonseca’s cellars on the Setúbal Peninsula store a trove of ancient, remarkably youthful fortified wines made from the local moscatel. Like an age-designated Tawny Port, this is blended from older lots and some younger, fresher wines to a style that approximates a 20-year-old. And 20 years seems like the optimal age for Alambre, still bright and sunny, with luscious peach and yellow-plum flavors. Its gentle length and persistent sandy sweetness would match a savory course of pork rillettes or foie gras as readily as it would Queijo Serra da Estrella served at the end of the meal. ~93 Wine & Spirits
This has a strong walnut character to the caramel, dried pineapple and sweet spice notes.Pineapple chutney, ginger and toasted hazelnut accents glide into the smoky, herb-tinged finish. ~91 Wine Spectator
"Best Fortified Wine of the Year" ~ Wines of Portugal 7th Edition
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