Moscatel de Setúbal is a Portuguese wine

Portuguese wine

Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the...

 produced around the Setúbal Municipality

Setúbal Municipality

Setúbal Municipality is located in Setúbal District. The main city is Setúbal.The municipality of Setúbal is composed of 8 parishes, and is the seat of the Setúbal District on the subregion of Península de Setúbal...

 on the Península de Setúbal

Península de Setúbal

The Península de Setúbal is a NUTS III subdivision of Lisbon Region , in Portugal. The subregion's administrative center is Setúbal, and the largest cities are Almada and Setúbal.It takes its name from the Setúbal Peninsula.Area: 1,729 km²...

. The region is known primarily for its fortified Muscat wines known as Moscatel de Setúbal. The style was believed to have been invented by José Maria da Fonseca, the founder of José Maria da Fonseca, the oldest table wine company in Portugal dating back to 1834. J.M. Fonseca company still holds a quasi-monopoly

Monopoly

A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...

 control over the production of Moscatel de Setúbal today.

Wine styles

Similar to Port, Moscatel de Setúbal are wood aged until they are bottled. They can be made from grapes of a single vintage

Vintage

Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...

 or in a "non-vintage" style as a blend of several vintages. The wines tend to be at their freshest and more fruit styles up to around 5-6 years of age where they have pronounced apricot

Apricot

The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :...

 notes. As they age, the wines get darker with more raisin

Raisin

Raisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing...

, caramel

Caramel

Caramel is a beige to dark-brown confection made by heating any of a variety of sugars. It is used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, and as a topping for ice cream, custard and coffee....

 and nut

Nut (fruit)

A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...

ty aromas and flavors.

Grapes

The DOC regulations for Moscatel de Setúbal specify that the wines are to be composed primarily of Muscat of Alexandria

Muscat of Alexandria

Muscat of Alexandria is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. It is considered an "ancient vine", and wine experts believe it is one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines still in existence...

 or Moscatel Roxo. The blend can include up to 30% of Arinto

Arinto

Arinto or Arinto de Bucelas is a white Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Bucelas, Tejo and Vinho Verde regions. It can produce high acid wines with lemon notes.-Synonyms:...

, Boais, Diagalves, Fernao Pires

Fernão Pires

Fernão Pires is a white Portuguese wine grape grown throughout Portugal but most notable in the Tejo and Bairrada where it is also known as "Maria Gomes". This varietal is known to produce wines with a spicy aromatic character, though often with delicate exotic fruity notes...

, Malvasia

Malvasia

Malvasia is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world...

, Olho de Lebre, Rabo de Ovelha

Rabo de Ovelha

Rabo de Ovelha is white Portuguese wine grape variety that is grown all over Portugal. It should not be confused with the red Rabo de Anho grape variety that is found in the Vinho Verde region. Rabo de Ovelha is an authorized grape variety in the Bairrada, Borba, Bucelas, Redondo, Reguengos,...

, Roupeiro

Roupeiro

Roupeiro is a white Portuguese wine grape planted primarily in the Alentejo and Douro regions. In Alentejo, the grape is known as Alva. In the Douro, it is known as Codega....

, Talia, Tamarez and Vital.