The wine region, which was renamed Península de Setúbal in 2009, is also known by the more sonorous regional name “ Terras do sado ”.
The land around the Sado River lies on the Setúbal Peninsula. With its stunning coastline, it is not only a popular destination for tourists but also the Vinho Regional area for regional wines in central Portugal.
The quality wine-growing region was founded in 1907 and has a protected name because of its rich and ancient history .
This name may only be borne by Muscats (Moscatel), which have a very fine aroma and are among the classics of the wine world.
The land wine appellation stretches inland just a few kilometers from Lisbon. It lies between the estuaries of the Sado and Tejo rivers and is ideal for winemakers due to its geographical proximity to the capital.
The vineyard area covers approximately 10,000 hectares and is divided into two zones with distinct soil compositions. On one side, there is a hilly landscape with clay and calcareous soil, where the vineyards extend at an altitude of up to 500 meters.
In the second zone, which accounts for 80% of the area, the wine grows on flat land on poor sandy soil. This area also includes the two DOCs Setúbal and Palmela.
DOC Setúbal
In this DOC, the vines grow on calcareous, sandy and clayey soils.
Setúbal is particularly famous for its Moscatel liqueur wine . This wine gained popularity as early as the 17th century and was even sent to Versailles at the request of the French King Louis XIV.
Only if this unique liqueur wine consists of at least 85% of the Moscatel de Setúbal grape and contains small amounts of the Arinto, Boal Branco, Moscatel Douro and Moscatel Roxo varieties, can it be called Moscatel de Setúbal .
If the wine contains less than 85% but at least 67% of the Muscat variety, it can be called Setúbal .
DOC Palmela
This DOC is characterized by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and a Mediterranean climate.
Summers here are hot and dry, while winters are often rainy. The soils here are predominantly sandy. However, the hilly areas, which are much more suitable for viticulture, are predominantly limestone and clay.
Despite the lack of soil structure, there are sufficiently large cavities, ensuring good aeration and water mobility.
Thanks to their excellent drainage potential, they offer excellent terrain for growing red wine. The good soil structure ensures a consistently good harvest and is a key factor in the flavor of the finished wine .
History and development of viticulture in the Península de Setúbal
As early as the mid-19th century, the Península de Setúbal was a lively trading center.
At that time, their wine-growing region, with 4,000 hectares, was the largest in the entire country and a stronghold of wine culture.
In recent years, the region has reached an astonishing level: The opening of the new Vasco da Gama Bridge over the Tagus River has further revitalized the region's wine culture. The bridge now provides a connection to Lisbon, thus expanding part of the capital to the peninsula.
The two large, long-established wineries, José Maria da Fonseca and Bacalhôa-Vinhos, in particular , have helped develop the wines and enhance their already high quality. Some of the smaller and younger producers are also contributing their share, ensuring further growth as best they can.
A large selection of wines in Terras do Sado
From 10,000 hectares of vineyards, 300,000 to 400,000 liters of wine are produced annually. The peninsula's wines offer a wide variety of characteristics. The white wines are often characterized by a very aromatic floral aroma. The rosé wines are fresh and fruity, while the red wines are well-structured with notes of wild berries.
Another very special specialty from the DOC Setubal is the noble liqueur wine Moscatel. A sweet, yet never overpowering, dessert wine with a high alcohol content, it exhibits a wealth of exotic aromas and often contains nuances of orange peel, cinnamon, and coriander.
Whether you prefer wines from the DOC regions with a controlled designation of origin or prefer wines with the Vinho Regional designation: Terras do Sado has an extensive range of flavors and, with this diverse selection, has something to offer almost everyone.
The reign of the Castelão vine
The Castelão grape has been cultivated here since 1850 and is therefore one of the oldest varieties in Portugal .
It was first planted in the vineyard called Cova de Periquita , which is why in the north of the country this red wine grape is also often called Periquita .
The region's barrenness provides ideal conditions for the dominant red grape variety. Although it can be found throughout Portugal, it thrives best in the south of the country, especially in the Palmela DOC.
How popular this wine was is demonstrated by the fact that the 1886 vintage won a gold medal at the Berlin Wine Fair in 1888 , which marked the start of the grape's international career.
From then on, Periquita production increased enormously, and the wine was exported in large quantities to England, France, and Spain. Under its new name Castelão, the grape is now definitely the dominant variety on the entire peninsula, accounting for around three-quarters of the region's total production.
The 1960s brought a change in style: The new Periquita now contains 70% Castelão, 20% Trincadeira, and 10% Aragonez, and its composition qualifies it as a Vinho Regional . The reason for this change was cited as the need to adapt to modern times.
However, the Periquita remains a Portuguese classic with symbolic status, whose transformation is mainly due to changing consumer tastes.
The range of styles produced by local winemakers is truly impressive. In addition to single-varietal, everyday wines that are considered "delicately fruity wines," a number of quality wines are also on offer.
For example, single-varietal wines, whose ripe grapes are trampled by foot and aged for a year in French barriques, produce a powerful wine full of finesse with wonderfully deep notes of herbs, red berries, and vanilla.
However, Castelão is often also used to produce blends and blends with other grape varieties. Successful examples include regional wines with a total of one-tenth Cabernet Sauvignon, Trincadeira, and Alicante Bouschet .
The experiment with red wines
As dominant as the Castelão variety may be, there are winemakers who can and want to live without it. To meet the demands of a globalized and international wine taste, local winemakers are striving for greater diversity and are therefore happy to cultivate various other grape varieties.
It is certainly the wide range of wines on offer that makes the region so popular – also as a holiday destination. Due to the number of different grape varieties, the wines of the Península de Setúbal exhibit very different characteristics.
International varieties are also cultivated on a total of around 1,000 hectares . Popular grapes such as the French Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as the Spanish Carignan grape, are found here, alongside the local varieties Aragonez, Bastardo, Touriga Nacional, and Moscatel Roxo.
The great variety of grape varieties shows that the region's spirit of experimentation is still alive.
This is especially evident in the typical spiciness of Bacalhôa 's Meia Pipa . The same applies to the fruity and spicy Serras de Azeitão , which is characterized by dark berry and cherry notes. Nevertheless, these combinations are still in the minority, at least for now, even though they have already gained international acceptance.
In summary, it can be said that the Península de Setúbal region offers a wide variety of red wines and does not need to fear international comparison at a high level.
The rare rosé wines
Despite the hot summers, the dreamy beaches and the many tourists who would surely flock to them, only a few rosés are offered in the region.
Worth mentioning are wines with a lot of Aragonez , which have a subtle berry note and are characterized by an uncomplicated taste.
The great variety of white wines
In contrast to the rosé, the white wine selection is much more extensive, even though white grapes play a more secondary role in the region.
Of particular note is the Fernão Pires grape variety , which is the most represented variety with 9% alcohol content.
Arinto and Moscatel are often produced in combination. Fonseca , for example , combines around 80% of these two varieties, achieving a floral, intense flavor with rich fruit aromas.
The Cooperativa Agrícola Santo Isidro de Pegões blends a different ratio , this time with 70% Fernão Pires, 20% Moscatel, and 10% Arinto. The result is tropically spicy with a high acidity.
But Moscatel can also be enjoyed without a blend partner. Single-varietal wines are delicately fruity, fresh, and balanced.
The white wines also include cuvées with national and international varieties, for example with one third each of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Arinto.
The liqueur wines of Terras do Sado
The Setúbal region is also known for its top-quality fortified wines. The white Moscatel de Setúbal is world-famous . A red variety called Moscatel Roxo is produced in much smaller quantities.
Moscatel from Setúbal is the third most important dessert wine in Portugal, alongside the great Madeira and Vinho Generoso . It consists of 85 to 100% Muscat, to which varieties such as Arinto, Boais, Rabo de Ovelha, Roupeiro, and Tamarez are added.
As one of the oldest quality wines, Moscatel is considered a great classic in the region. It has an intense, complex fruit aroma with notes of honey and roasted nuts.
Precisely because of its popularity, it's constantly being imitated. Therefore, in order to protect the Moscatel, a name protection law was established for the Setúbal region as early as 1907.
Only those who own vineyards in the areas surrounding the municipalities of Palmela, Setúbal, Montijo and Sesimbra may offer their wine under the designation Moscatel de Setúbal or Moscatel Roxo.
The production of Moscatel de Setúbal
The production of Moscatel de Setúbal is no different from other dessert wines and is as follows:
After the harvest, the grapes are fermented, and fermentation is stopped by adding alcohol. The natural sweetness of the berries then rests for several months. Only then is the wine pressed and filtered. After approximately three to four years of maturation, the full-bodied wine is bottled and ready to drink.
However, a special enjoyment only unfolds with age. After about 8 to 10 years, notes of dried fruit, coffee, and caramel develop. Some producers therefore age their Moscatel in small quantities for up to 20 years .
The aforementioned Moscatel Roxo , which is produced in smaller quantities than its famous white counterpart, generally has similar characteristics to the Moscatel de Setúbal.
It offers a complex aroma palette with notes of bitter orange, figs, raisins and hazelnuts.
The Moscatel Roxo demonstrates the heights of flavor that can be achieved with a longer aging period (approximately 9 years). It possesses an incredible richness of aromas.
Due to changing drinking habits, the area under cultivation for Moscatel Roxo has been reduced to 330 hectares, but anyone who has tried this classic wine once will remain loyal to it.
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