José Maria da Fonseca

Owned and managed by the same family for close to 200 years, the focus has always been on updating and looking ahead, never on standing still to reflect back on former glories.  José Maria da Fonseca initiated the business in 1834, and his passion for winegrowing has been shared by the family ever since, all of whom strive to maintain the high standards set by the founder.  Shouldering the responsibility of  what it means to be the oldest producer of table wines and Setubal Moscatel in Portugal, José Maria da Fonseca follows the philosophy of permanent development, investing heavily in research and production methods, allying modern techniques with traditional know how. 

Testimony of this can be seen at the José de Sousa Winery in the Alentejo town of Reguengos de Monsaraz, where the ancient Roman tradition of fermenting wine in clay pots maintained yet combined with the latest technology.   

With its continued investment to produce quality wines of worldwide renown, José Maria da Fonseca has made a decisive contribution to the recognition Portuguese wines now enjoy abroad. The 700 hectares of vineyard and state-of-the-art winery – to rival the best anywhere in the world – result in wines that ally the accumulated experience of history with the most advanced winemaking technology. 

Over and above all the resources used in producing its wines, it is the passionate commitment to the art of winemaking that best characterises the work of José Maria da Fonseca. It is this passion, rousing emotions, that José Maria da Fonseca imparts to the consumer each time he drinks one of its wines.