I couldn’t have said it better than Wines of Portugal themselves: “Few would dispute that the Touriga Nacional is Portugal’s fines red grape variety, deserving a place right up at the top of the world league of grapes, along with the likes of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo.”
It's Origin
Touriga Nacional’s origin lies in the Northern parts of Portugal. Both the Dão and the Douro region claim the grape’ origin. But has spread throughout the whole country.
Climate and Soils
Best suited to warm continental or Mediterranean climates. This amazingly interesting variety grows in the searing heat on steep schist soiled vineyards in the Douro. Those soils are rockier than anything else. It thrives on shallow, stoney, relatively infertile soils, and full sun exposure. That scorching sun in the Douro which, during summer, can lead up to >40°C degrees, but it has small berries can withstand the heat and have some skin burn resistance. Touriga Nacional performs best on granite soils.
- Portugal, especially in Dão and the Douro (92%)
- USA, California, Virginia (3%)
- South Africa (2%)
- Australia (2%)
- Brazil (1%)
- Other (1%)
- Spain (0.35%)
- Greece (0.27%)
Vine Manual: How does Touriga Nacional Grow
This variety tends to retain its acidity quite well and gives ripe but not overly ripe, jammy flavours of black fruit.
- Early budding
- Mid-Late ripening
- Drought resistant
- Moderate yielding
- Disease resistant
- Dark-skinned variety
- Vigorous variety, which needs severe pruning to keep it tamed.
- Usually trained as one of the Guyot Systems
- The vine produces a few bunches which are small to tiny sized.
- Tiny berries
It’s all in the Name Baby
Mortagua, Preto de Moragua, Azal Espanhol. In Australia it is simply known as "Touriga”, but in California this abbreviation leads to the variety’s kindship with Touriga Franca.
Tickle Your Taste Buds
Touriga Nacional Taste ProfileTouriga is a popular grape that leads many Portuguese dry red blends and the fortified wines known as Port. In Port blends this variety can be blended with up to eighty different varieties, but the most important grapes are: Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cao.
Concentrated Deep purple colour, med-high acidity, high, firm tannins, med.-high alcohol, med-full body, pronounced intensity, expressive varietal.
Aromas and FlavoursBold dark fruit flavours. Black currant, blueberry, black plum, blackberry also raspberry. Often hints of spice, licorice, wet slate, herbal like mint and leather. Touriga Nacional displays floral notes which are distinctive when young; rose, orange blossom and violet.
Did you Know?
That Touriga Nacional is often co-planted with a lot of other varietals in Portugal.
History Fact
Before Phylloxera hit Europe and thereby the Iberian Peninsula, Touriga Nacional was even more widely planted. It has been said that it must have covered about 90% of all Dão winegrowing areas.
In the past the Touriga Nacional had a lower yielding variety, but its modern clones nowadays produce moderate yields. All to help with its commercial viability, because it was one of the lowest yielding varieties out there. They are even adjusted to pollinate better with increasing in yields about 15%.
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What is Touriga Nacional?
Touriga Nacional is widely considered Portugal's finest red grape, placed by Wines of Portugal in the world league of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo. It leads many Portuguese dry red blends and is a cornerstone of Port.
What does Touriga Nacional taste like?
Expect a concentrated deep purple wine with medium to high acidity, high firm tannins and a medium to full body. Bold dark fruit of blackcurrant, blueberry and black plum meets spice, liquorice, wet slate and leather, while young wines show striking florals of rose, orange blossom and violet.
Where does Touriga Nacional grow?
Both the Dão and the Douro claim its origin, and Portugal still holds about 92 percent of the world's plantings. It thrives on steep, rocky schist and granite soils in searing Douro heat that can pass 40 degrees, with smaller plantings in California, South Africa, Australia and Brazil.
Is Touriga Nacional used in Port?
Yes, it is the leading grape of the Port blends, which may draw on up to eighty varieties. Its most important partners are Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão.
Why are Touriga Nacional yields so low?
The vine naturally produces only a few tiny bunches with tiny berries, historically making it one of the lowest yielding varieties anywhere. Modern clones pollinate better and lifted yields by about 15 percent, which restored its commercial viability.
Resources
- Wine Searcher, “Touriga Nacional Wine” - Accessed on March 5, 2024
- Jancis Robinson, “Touriga Nacional” - Accessed on March 5, 2024
- Wines of Portugal, “Touriga Nacional”, - Accessed on March 5, 2024
- Vinha Portugal, “Touriga Nacional - a leader with fertility problems”, - Accessed on March 5, 2024
Margot van Lieshout
Wine marketeer, sales expert with over 20 years in the trade, public speaker and international wine judge. Thousands of wines scored from Steiermark to Ningxia, and a trade she knows from the inside out. Wine with Margot is where she helps wine brands tell the stories that sell them.
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