WINES FROM PENINSULA SETÚBAL

WINES FROM Peninsula Setúbal

The Peninsula Setúbal lies across the estuary of the River Tejo directly south of Lisbon and is linked to Lisbon by two bridges.

Much of the area is flat and sandy, with the exception of the Serra da Arrábida, a short chain of mountains running along the south coast of the peninsula, where the soils are limestone or clay-limestone. It is on these Serra da Arrábida slopes that the grapes are grown for the famous sweet Moscatel de Setúbal wines.

The climate is the Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and mild but rainy winters. Vineyards in the Serra da Arrábida are cooler, owing to the higher altitude and the proximity of the sea.

The Vinho Regional was recently renamed Península de Setúbal (it was formerly called ‘Terras do Sado’ after the River Sado that flows through the southern part of the region). There are two DOCs, Setúbal and Palmela.

Setúbal is sweet and fortified, made primarily from the Muscat of Alexandria grape. It can be labeled Moscatel de Setúbal when Muscat makes up more than 85 percent of the blend.

FOOD & WINE PAIRING

It’s a very sweet, fragrant wine, with candied orange flavours, floral and raisiny when young, developing nutty, toffee aromas with maturity.

MoscatelRoxo (a pink grape) makes wines that are even more scented. DOC Palmela is mainly red and based on the late-ripening Castelão grape, which is more at home in the hot, sandy soils of Palmela than anywhere else in Portugal, ripening well to make wines of complexity and depth, elegance and balance, with good cherry fruit.

Wines with less acidity and smoother from wine regions such Península de Setúbal pair with less intense meat and fish dishes, cooked in a more natural way, cooked or grilled, and less spicy - since, from this In this way, the food will not overlap with the wine, resulting in a balanced combination.

Wines from Peninsula de Setubal