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Horácio Simões Costa a Costa

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TECH SHEET

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Region
Setúbal
Alcohol
17.5% vol.
Bottle
500 ml

Wine profile

Fortified

Sweetness
Body
Alcohol17.5% vol

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Wine profile · Fortified

Sweetness

Level 5 of 5 — Very sweet and luscious – like honey or dried figs

Above typical (3.7) · Typical: average of 43 fortified wines at Vinogrande

What it is

Sweetness comes from the grape's natural sugar that did not turn into alcohol (residual sugar). A dry wine has almost none; a Port or a late-harvest wine has a lot.

Where you feel it

On the tip of your tongue, right from the first sip, and as a richer, oilier feel in the mouth. Acidity can mask it.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the rules of the style (WSET; IVDP for Port and Madeira).

It is measured in grams of residual sugar per litre. General EU bands: dry up to about 4 g/L, off-dry up to 12, medium-sweet up to 45, sweet above that. On our scale: under 4 g/L = 1, up to 12 = 2, up to 45 = 3, up to 100 = 4, more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Dry: no noticeable sugar
  2. 2Off-dry: a touch of sweetness
  3. 3Medium-sweet: clearly sweet
  4. 4Sweet: rich and fruity
  5. 5Very sweet: luscious This wine

In practice, for this wine

A dessert in itself: chocolate, nuts, aged or blue cheese. A small glass is enough.

Wine profile · Fortified

Body

Level 4 of 5 — Full and broad – like single cream

In line with typical (3.9) · Typical: average of 37 fortified wines at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the rules of the style (WSET; IVDP for Port and Madeira).

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad This wine
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

Wants dishes with structure: red meat, roasts, mushrooms, aged cheese.

Wine profile · Fortified

Alcohol 17.5% vol

Level 3 of 5 — Firm warmth, well blended with the sweetness

Below typical (3.7) · Typical: average of 43 fortified wines at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 17.5% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 2Light fortified: under 16.5% vol
  2. 3Medium fortified: 16.5–18.4% vol This wine
  3. 4High fortified: 18.5–19.9% vol
  4. 5Very high fortified: 20% vol or more

In practice, for this wine

Good with desserts, cheese and nuts; small glass.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 10–12 °CFridge 2 h · take it out 10 min before serving
GlassPort / dessert glass

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Description

The Wine Advocate
RP 92
Reviewed by: Mark Squires

The 2010 Moscatel Roxo Costa a Costa (“Coast to Coast”), bottled under a long cork in November 2021, was aged for 10 years in used French wood and has 203 grams of residual sugar. The winery says: “With the 2010 Moscatel Roxo harvest, we had the idea of putting 10 225-litre barrels (part of the production) in the hold of a pleasure boat. So these barrels sailed the River Sado for five years and now rest in the winery.” The boat went from one coast to the other, hence the name. The winery says the difference from cellar ageing was noticeable, with more evaporation, a different aroma and more sediment. Fortified Moscatel is, of course, very resilient and would hardly be harmed by this.

Indeed, this is very different and quite magnificent for a relatively young wine. It shows roasted orange peel on the nose and a concentrated finish. It's both delicious and intriguing. Of course it's still a 10-year-old, so it's far from the most concentrated Moscatel in history, but it's a high-quality 10-year-old. It isn't imported and costs about 40 euros in Portugal. The drinking window given is only an estimate, but I wonder whether the treatment it received will affect its usually long ageing curve.

What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.