Touriga Nacional

Red

(Touriga Nacional pronunciation: too-REE-gah nah-syoo-NAHL)

Touriga Nacional wines are considered by many to be Portugal’s premier red wine grape. The grapes are native to the Douro and Dâo regions of Portugal, where hearty vines are dotted with sparse clusters of tiny blue-black grapes. These vines thrive in rugged rocky soils which contribute to the fact that Touriga Nacional claims the lowest yields of any commercial grape variety.

Due to small yields and the intense characteristics, Touriga Nacional is often blended into the region’s best ports. The grapes produce intense, aromatic wines with plenty of tannins giving it outstanding structure and excellent ageing capability. The wine is often described as having intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants, raspberries and hints of black liquorice and a very powerful violet and other floral aromas.

While the vast majority of wine produced with Touriga Nacional comes from Portugal, some winemakers in California and Australia have also begun experimenting with this mighty little grape to see if there are ways to increase the yield and harness the flavor. The pronunciation for Touriga Nacional is (too-REE-gah nah-syoo-NAHL). The Quinta da Pedra Alta 2010 Touriga Nacional was rated one of the top ten wines in Portugal, which we featured in our International Wine Club. Saúde!