November 1, 2016
Today we are pairing the 2010 Alambre Muscatel de Setúbal wine of Jose Maria Da Fonseca Vinhos.
Setúbal wine is from the wine region Península de Setúbal which is south of Lisbon. The vineyards mainly have a limestone and sandy soil with a Mediterranean climate. With the vineyards being on the Serra da Arrábida slopes there are cooler nights that creates nightly humidity coming from the Tagus River Basin. The humidity is a big source of the grapes water since this is a very dry area with little rain in the summer.
Setúbal is sweet and fortified, made primarily from the Muscat of Alexandria grape. It can be labelled Moscatel de Setúbal when Muscat makes up more than 85 per cent of the blend.
This 2010 Alambre Muscatel de Setúbal has a light amber golden color. There are sweet aromas of honey and candied oranges. On the palate some there is some nuttiness with a balance of acidity that keeps the wine soft and sweet but not cloying. In the finish the nuttiness is more prominent and the balanced acidity leaves some of the sweetness lingering. ( This wine has a ABV of 17.5% and residual sugars of 127 grams per liter)
Lady Elena Caviar Pairing
Americana (White Sturgeon): Here we are very complimentary with the nuttiness of both and we have the contrast of the sweetness with the salty. With this wine, this results in slight creaminess remaining and a cleansed palate. A great Lady Elena Caviar and wine pairing.
