Wine Region: Setúbal

(2022) The Setúbal peninsula, just south of Lisbon, specialises in these fortified wines made from Moscatel. It's made in a relatively fresh, modern and vivacious style, though it does spend 24 months in oak barrels. Notes of mandarin orange and honey, caramel and caraway seeds dominate, with plenty of Muscat florals in the mix too. On the palate the caramel sweetness moves into a smoky and aromatic tobacco and Earl Grey tea, but all the time that citrus freshness lightens the load. Distinctive, and would be wonderful with orangy desserts,but there's also a suggestion to make it into a long drink with plenty of ice and tonic, and perhaps add a slice of orange.

(2022) From Setúbal and made from its native grape Castelão along with Aragonez (Tempranillo) and Touriga Nacional. A pale salmon/peach colour, the nose is fairly neautral, a touch of stone fruit and maybe a hint of candy floss. The palate has  a burst of zingy fruit, again reminds me a little of Sauvignon Blanc in that respect, with some residual sugar balancing a pithy grapefruit acidity.

(2012) Walnuts, honey and fig in a sweet and dark-hued melange of aromas. The nutty, Seville orange richness of the palate is ravishing. Ravishing on the palate too - rich, liquoricy, bright and focused orange with length and finesse.

(2012) Drier, more varnishy aromas, plenty of nutty and oxidised pleasure to be had here. What a lovely bright tang of apricots - so vital and alive, the sweetness playing against the nutty richness delightfully. Fabulous, a beautiful wine of infinite complexity and interest.

(2012) Walnutty and deep, there are notes of cappuccino and orange here, a dark, stewed fruit compote character too. Wow, what texture on the palate - mind-blowing richness and viscose weight, spices, essential oils, orange and clove, all brightened bt citrus freshness at the core. A fabulous wine.

(2011) Subdued, older character with little of the Muscat's floral exuberance. Aromas are more of stewed tea and nuts, a little caramel. The palate has full sweetness, the marmalade orange tang and cappuccino richness of the wine giving huge depth and intriguing layers of contemplative complexity. A profound and deliciously alive wine.

(2011) Aragonez, Trincadeira and Grand Noir. Aged in 100% new oak for one year, then racked into another set of 100% new oak barrels. Massive balsamic nose with, with lots of high, almost gamy aromas, intense floral glimpses, schisty notes and charcoal. Very powerful palate too, with sweet balsamic grip, but liquoricy depth, length and focus. Layered complexity, and something intriguing about it.

(2010) 92% of this wine is 35-year-old Castelão, with 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Tinta Francisca aged in French oak. Big meaty nose, with lots of deep, sinewy, plummy fruit. A big wine this, the palate having very good freshness with racy acidity and very quite grippy, chunky tannins. Very juicy, the tart cherry skin quality of the juice adding lots of grip and lip-smacking appeal.

(2010) 13.5%. Eight months in small oak barrels. Slightly reductive, this does begin to show some cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Maybe just a glimpse of something more floral, but pretty closed. The palate has a juiciness to it, and a nice quality of sweet black fruit comes through. This has considerable concentration and a grippy, grainy tannic structure, but does finish with plenty of fruit. Another interesting wine that might be better in a few years.

(2010) Domingo says that ever since he finished his studies at UC Davis he had in his mind the idea of a great wine, the style of which he had as a plan that might take 20 years, to identify and plant exactly the right grapes in the right spot, and waiti for them to reach suitable maturity. Tasting a barrel of Tinta Cão, he felt he had the basis for making this wine which became Hexagon. In fact the blend is Touriga Nacional, Tinta Franca, Tinto Cão, Trincadeira, Shiraz and Tannat. Cedary and elegant on the nose, it has meaty black fruit, but is quite clear and fruity, with lots of spice and that subtle oak and earthiness coming through. The palate has plenty of fruit: really bold and chewy, with big tannins adding a pleasant roughening texture to quite smooth fruit. That bloody, gamey ripeness is there, with nice acidity into the finish too.