Hi Everyone,

The Wine Spectator Top 100 winners keep rolling in, and our favorite Portuguese connection (yes, we are talking about Marc Oliveira) is bullish on today’s beauty from José Maria da Fonseca.

The wine, Fonseca 22 “Anticiclone,” hails from the Setubal Peninsula – If you haven’t been to this emerging region, think South of Lisbon with noticeable Atlantic influence and long/interesting viticultural history including many winemakers in their seventies/eighties, demi-johns, old clay pots, and the like. The people, culture, and, most importantly, the finished wines, are a nice contrast to similar varietal blends from Lisbon, as goods from Setubal generally show more restraint and freshness thanks to the above factors, with today’s wine being no exception.

The varietal makeup here is native Castelão and Aragoñez, with a modest 13% ABV, and people of all interests/experience can get into this.

The only downside is the above pictured packaging, which is for me a bit too “commercial” looking, and incoming bottles will likely have points stickers since the wine comes from Marc. Maybe I’m just being picky.

Anyway…

Below is the Spectator verbiage from the Top 100 issue. Marc is as generous as humans come, he knows our offer setup well, so you have the lowest cost-basis in America today (here is a Wine-Searcher link):

“Balanced and medium-bodied, this fresh red frames flavors of chopped black cherry, blackberry paste, espresso, tobacco, anise and graphite with light, fine tannins. Castelão and Aragoñez. Drink now through 2029. 10,030 cases made, 5,500 cases imported. 90 points, #65 Top 100 Wines of 2024 (reviewed at $30).” – Wine Spectator

Easy pickings today!