José Maria da Fonseca

Azeitão

One of Portugal’s oldest table-wine producers. Makes Periquita, Lancers rosé and Moscatel de Setúbal with a cellar of 19th-century stock, plus talha wines at its José de Sousa estate in the Alentejo.

Bottles

Rated by Wine Spectator

6 wines from its Portugal report (28 Feb 2026 issue), with US release prices and value for money.

Wine	Vintage	Score	Price	Value
Alentejano José de Sousa Mayor	2017	90	$85	Priced high (−1.7)
Península de Setúbal Anticiclone	2023	88	$20	Fair price (−0.1)
Alentejano Artisanal Reserva	2022	88	$22	Fair price (−0.3)
Península de Setúbal Waterdog Platinum	2022	88	$28	Priced high (−0.9)
Alentejo Indiscreto	2024	87	$30	Pricey for its score (−2.1)
Lisboa Waterdog	2024	85	$13	Pricey for its score (−2.0)

Critics’ picks

Scores out of 100 belong to one bottle and vintage, not the whole style. We only list scores and rankings we could confirm in a public source; follow each link to check. Last checked 12 Nov 2026. Prices are US release prices per 75 cl as printed by the critic; value compares the score with the price trend.

Bottle	Critic	Score	Price · value	Source
José Maria da Fonseca José de Sousa Mayor 2017 Alentejo Red	Wine Spectator	90pts	$85 Priced high (−1.7 pts)	28 Feb 2026 issue

Wines

Moscatel de Setúbal

Fortified

A rich fortified Muscat from the Setúbal Peninsula. After fortification the wine stays in contact with the grape skins for months, soaking up intense orange-peel and floral flavours. Aged versions turn amber and take on notes of caramel, dried apricot and walnut. Moscatel Roxo, from a rare pink-skinned grape, is especially prized.

Palmela Red

Red

Palmela DOC

Juicy, characterful reds built on Castelão grown on sandy soils around Palmela, often with red fruit, earthy and slightly gamey notes.

Portuguese Rosé

Rosé

Rosado

Portugal introduced much of the world to rosé after the Second World War through lightly sparkling, off-dry brands such as Mateus and Lancers. Today most Portuguese rosé is dry and crisp, often from Touriga Nacional or Baga.

Vinho de Talha

Red

Talha wine

Wine fermented and aged in large clay amphorae (talhas), sealed inside with pitch or beeswax, a tradition kept alive in the Alentejo since Roman times. White, red and orange versions exist; the wine stays on its skins and cannot be drawn before 11 November.

Grapes they’re known for

Castelão Moscatel de Setúbal Moscatel Galego

Also in Península de Setúbal

Bacalhôa Vinhos