Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional is Portugal’s flagship red grape, renowned for its role in producing both premium Port wines and robust, age-worthy Douro reds. Its name—“Touriga” referring to a type of vine and “Nacional” highlighting its prominence—reflects the grape’s esteemed place in Portuguese viticulture.

The Douro Valley, with its steep, terraced vineyards and warm, dry climate, is the grape’s historical heartland, though it is also grown in regions like Dão and internationally in places such as Australia, South Africa, and the U.S. Touriga Nacional thrives on rugged terrain, producing small, thick-skinned berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio, which contributes to the wine’s deep color, intense tannins, and concentrated flavors.

Wines made from Touriga Nacional are typically deeply colored, ranging from intense ruby to nearly inky purple. Aromatically, they are striking, often showing dark fruits like blackberry, blackcurrant, and plum, complemented by floral notes of violet and subtle hints of spice, herbs, or chocolate. The high tannin content gives the wines structure and longevity, making them well-suited to aging and capable of evolving in complexity over time.

In blends, especially in Port, Touriga Nacional adds depth, color, and aromatic elegance, while in single-varietal Douro reds, it delivers power, richness, and balance. Its late-ripening nature and adaptability to Portugal’s challenging vineyard sites make it a cornerstone of the country’s winemaking tradition and a key reason Portuguese wines are celebrated worldwide.