Touriga Franca

Touriga Franca is one of Portugal’s quiet heavy hitters, especially in the Douro Valley, where it’s been grown for generations. Its exact origins aren’t perfectly documented, but it’s generally thought to be a local Portuguese variety, possibly a natural cross involving Touriga Nacional. However it came to be, it settled comfortably into the Douro’s steep, schist-lined vineyards and became a cornerstone of the region’s wines.

The Douro is still Touriga Franca’s home base, and it plays a major role in both Port and dry red wines. While it’s often overshadowed by the more famous Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca is actually more widely planted in the Douro thanks to its reliability and adaptability. You’ll also find it in other Portuguese regions like Dão and Vinho Verde, where it brings structure and depth to blends.

In the vineyard, Touriga Franca is relatively cooperative. It ripens a bit earlier than some of its neighbors, handles heat well, and adapts nicely to different soils, especially the Douro’s schist. The grapes are small, dark, and thick-skinned, which helps explain the deep color and concentration you see in the finished wines.

In the glass, Touriga Franca delivers rich dark fruit flavors like blackberry and black cherry, often layered with floral notes and a touch of spice. The wines tend to be well-structured, with solid tannins and fresh acidity that give them real aging potential. Most of the time it’s blended with other classic Portuguese varieties, where it adds balance, aroma, and polish. It may not always steal the spotlight, but Touriga Franca is one of the key reasons Portuguese reds—and Ports—work as well as they do.