JUNK

The port of Setubal

The antiquated china cabinet in the basement is filled with it; dusty bottles of moscatel, the junk sentry, all labeled with the same word, “Apoteca”. “Apoteca” authoritatively stamped on the bottles like the word “poison” or “aspirin” might have been stamped on bottles circa the Civil War; the script is concurrently florid and stock-straight. The ink is rust colored and typed on a once -white label that is now beige with age. The word “Apoteca” means “sample” --let’s sample multiple vintages of Setabul from Portugal, a fortified wine made from the moscatel grape and similar to Madeira in that the wine is oxidized, dissimilar in that it is not cooked .

Jose Maria da Fonseca, succ.
Azeitao Setubal Portugal………………………………..1834 (this is on every bottle, small type, bottom of the label)


Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1980 (Ronald Reagan was elected, John Lennon assassinated, MS-DOS is licensed to IBM by Bill Gates)
The youngest wine of the night. Setabul is a peninsula in Portugal that was once renowned for sweet, fortified wines popular in the US before prohibition, much like sherry or Madeira. And, like those anachronistic tipples, Setabul is rarely seen today at document signings, boat launches, or dinner tables. The wine is sticky, sweet but also strong with acidity so it doesn’t cloy like a cordial. It is nutty, woody, zesty and alive. A teeny sip has more flavor than Veruca Salt’s bubble gum.


Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1942 (Japanese-Americans interned and their property seized by US government, Anne Frank started her diary, the British arrest Gandhi in Bombay, Isaac Hayes is born)
Darker hued than the 1980—almost starbright—oranges on the nose—more viscous than the 1980—marmalade on the palate. This is one of the oldest wines I have drunk and the calendar is going backwards hereafter.

Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1918 (daylight savings time established and time zones delineated in the US,Red Sox beat the Cubs in the World series, World War I ends, Hapsburg empire dissolves)
Whiff of nail polish on the nose that breezily leaves. The alcohol is more noticeable in this sip. It is sweeter than the last. Lemon rind, with milk chocolate in the mouth.

Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1902 (Boers beat the British ending the 2nd Boer War, St Mark’s Campanile collapses in Venice, Mt. Pelee erupts in Martinique killing 32,000)
Dark—Kahlua colored with flavors of burnt sugar. The glass is stained afterwards with the wine’s concentration.

Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1880 (Garfield elected President, Thomas Edison founds the journal “Science”, Helen Keller is born)
Soy sauce tinge to the wine, treacle mouth-feel, lemon, walnut and tiramisu high-notes, sweetest wine yet, but the most alive so far , with vibrant acidity pinging throughout the concentrated wine

Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1900 (selected by me, as the evening’s favorite) (Boxer Rebellion, US goes on the Gold Standard, Adlai Stevenson &Margaret Mitchell are born)
Lovely high acidity for a sweet wine, it is darker and thicker than the 1880. Spicy with cinnamon, nut and tootsie roll flavors. A little chipotle on the finish.

Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1938 (1st Superman comic published, Howard Hughes flies around the world, Germany annexes the Sudentenland, nylon patented by Du Pont, Seabiscuit trounces War Admiral)
Russet color fading to gold meniscus. This one tastes a little woody, like cedar. Also, there is a burnt brown sugar and coffee taste. Lots of sediment in the glass.

Jose Maria da Fonseca Setabul 1932 ("Brave New World" is published, Lindbergh baby is kidnapped, first gas tax in the US is passed, Roosevelt defeats Hoover)
Xmas cake—less acidity than in the earlier vintages tasted tonight. Crème de Cacao in the mouth.

Jose Maria da fonseca Setabul 1906 (another favorite) ("The Jungle" is published, Vesuvius erupts, the Victrola is released, the muffeleta sandwich served in New Orleans)
Vietnamese drip coffee with condensed milk. Soaked mandarin oranges in brandy, Milk Duds, banana bread, pine sap, very long finish with a horse’s neck of acidity.