Horácio Simões Moscatel Roxo Heritage

 Horácio Simões Moscatel Roxo Heritage is a prestigious fortified wine made in the Península de Setúbal by the renowned Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões. Made from the rare Moscatel Roxo grape (once almost extinct in the region), it stands out for its meticulous winemaking and exceptionally complex flavour profile.

The Wine Advocate
RP 93+

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The Heritage Moscatel Roxo was made using their own method, slightly different from other wineries in the region: the bunches are carefully selected and given a five-day cold maceration, after which fermentation starts spontaneously. About three days later, fermentation is stopped by adding the best spirit they can get; in this case it was fortified with Armagnac and then left to macerate for five months. It then aged in a 6,000-litre oak cask, where it concentrates through evaporation.

This wine is cloudy, unlike regular Moscatel, which possibly also mutes the aromas on the nose. It's marked by notes of dried fruit and a slightly more oxidative profile, but it's also complex and subtle, insinuating, with discreet aromas of orange blossom and carob, showing a slightly more rustic character.

It has 19% alcohol, a pH of 3.65, 4.92 grams of acidity and 184 grams of residual sugar.

Production of 3,000 bottles