Touriga Nacional is one of Portugal’s most popular grapes and is used to produce Port and dry red wine. It is predominantly grown in Dão, where it also comes from, and the Duoro Valley. Touriga Nacional produces wines that are tannic, rich, mineral and have a dark color. These wines have a lot of floral aroma but at the same time can be very complex and have a good ageing potential.

Touriga Nacional is often being referred to as the Cabernet Sauvignon of Portugal since in many ways it is similar to the Bordeaux grape, especially when it comes to its complexity, dark fruits and ageing ability. It is known for producing wines that have a floral and fruity profile with hints of leather and violet and is mainly found in blends since on its own it can be quite overpowering. Touriga Nacional is a key grape in Ports from the Duoro Valley along side other grapes like Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Franca, Tinto Cao.

The vines have small, thick skinned concentrated berries and are resistant to rain, heat and different climates as well as disease. However despite the vine’s resistance, it is also incredibly low yielding which on one hand contributes to the intensity of the wine but makes it hard to grow. Outside of Portugal, Touriga Nacional is still being discovered although in recent years has started gaining popularity in Australia, United States and even France. Because of its ability to withstand climate changes, Touriga Nacional has become appealing from a global climate change perspective. In 2019, Bordeaux has decided to add Touriga Nacional together with 6 other grapes to the official list of grapes allowed in Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur wines. For now these are allowed only in entry level Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur labelled wines. The new grapes are allowed to be maximum 10% of the blend. Even so, this is a big step for an old region like Bordeaux and good news for Touriga Nacional.

Touriga Nacional Regions

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