Touriga Nacional - Portugal's noble grape

Touriga Nacional produces intensely coloured wines and is one of the recommended grape varieties for port wine. Complex aromas, reminiscent of violets, liquorice, blackcurrants and raspberries, accompanied by subtle notes of bergamot characterise this grape variety. Originally from the north, the Dao and Douro call it their own, although it is now grown all over Portugal. With powerful and elegant tannins, wines from Touriga National are extremely storable.

The method of vine training has a strong influence on the development of this grape variety. Good results are only achieved with Guyot training and heavy pruning. The grapes are small, of varying sizes, round and hard-skinned. Touriga Nacional is a variety of the noble grape (Vitis vinifera). It has hermaphrodite flowers and is therefore self-fertile. In viticulture, it avoids the economic disadvantage of not having to cultivate male plants that produce a yield.

Find out more about Touriga Nacional

Profiles

Touriga Nacional wine is characterised by luscious dark fruit notes, strong tannins and a subtle violet aroma. Very structured wines with fine-grained tannins come from Portugal's Douro Valley. Portugal's cooler Dão region produces wines with tangy acidity. The flavour-intensive Touriga Nacional red wines have a high alcohol content.

Fruit ★★★★★

Body ★★★★★

Tannin ★★★★★

Acidity ★★★★

Alcohol ★★★★★

Flavours

The dominant flavours differ depending on the growing region. Flavours of blueberry, blackcurrant, violet, vanilla and roast meat characterise the Touriga Nacional wines from the Douro. The cooler Dão region produces wines with more red fruit flavours, bergamot and violets. Touriga Nacional wines from the Alentejo are juicy with aromas of dark and red fruits, violets, liquorice and a hint of vanilla from the oak barrel.

Dominant notes:

- Violet
- blueberry
- Plum, mint, wet slate
- mint
- Wet slate

Possible notes:

- Herbs/flowers: violet, lilac, mint, earl grey tea, bergamot
- Dark fruit: sour plum, blackcurrant, black raspberry, rock pear, blackberry, dark plum, blueberry
- Earth/Other: Lithium grease, graphite dust, graphite, wet slate
- Secondary notes: Bread
- Aged in oak: vanilla, nutmeg, couverture, roasted marshmallows

Harmonises with

The dark-spiced, concentrated Touriga Nacional red wines go well with beef dishes, grilled steak or lamb chops. Port wines from this grape harmonise well with a fine cheese platter, dried fruit or walnuts after the main course. Of course, Touriga Nacional port wines make an excellent aperitif.

General information

Touriga Nacional is one of the most important red wine grape varieties in Portugal. It mainly plays a major role in wine production in the north of the country. The traditional growing area for this grape variety is the Douro Valley, but areas in the Dão, Tras-os-Montes and Alentejo are also planted with Touriga Nacional. The variety is virtually non-existent outside of Portugal. Smaller stocks of a few hectares of Touriga Nacional are also planted in South Africa, Australia, Spain, California and New Zealand. Worldwide, the area under cultivation is around 10,500 hectares. Outside Portugal, Touriga Nacional is also known by the synonyms Azal Espanhol, Bical, Bical Tinto, Carabuñera, Mortagua, Mortagua Preto, Touriga, Touriga Fina, Tourigo, Tourigo Antiguo and Tourigo do Dão.

Among Portugal's 400 or so indigenous, native grape varieties, the strongly coloured Touriga Nacional is considered the noblest red variety. It is also a very old grape variety, which was first mentioned in Portugal in the 13th century and has been cultivated in the Dao since 1822. The exact origins of the red wine grape are obscure, but it is genetically related to the Touriga Franca, Touriga Femea and Rufita grape varieties native to Portugal. The Touriga Nacional grape loves hot climates, which is why it is synonymous with wines of a very special quality in the Portuguese Douro Valley as well as in South Africa. However, the yields of the small, hard and thick-skinned berries are rather low.

In the past, Touriga Nacional was traditionally used as the highest quality grape variety for the production of port wine, but today it also characterises the great dry red wines from the Douro Valley, the Dão and the Alentejo. Pure, sophisticated and complex Touriga Nacional style wines come from here. The concentrated red wines with their very own dark, spicy, cool flavours are also often blended in a cuvée. Touriga Nacional is also ideal for ageing in new small oak barrels.