Touriga Nacional
Probably Dão, Portugal
Portugal's most prized red grape: small-berried, very dark and floral, the core of the best Port and of Douro and Dão reds.
Sensory profile
Characteristics
Flavor & aroma
At a glance
Production facts
Prevalence
Niche
Climate
Warm climate
Ripening
Mid season
Wine styles
Still, Fortified
Where it's grown
Geography
Shaded areas are the state, province or département(s) containing each region, so they run wider than the appellations themselves.
Background
Origin & History
Touriga Nacional is generally thought to come from the Dão region in northern Portugal. Its berries are tiny, with very thick skins, so yields are low, but the wines are dark, intensely floral and tannic. It has long been the top grape in vintage Port.
From the 1990s it was also used for dry table wines, both in the Douro and in Dão, and has since been planted in Australia, South Africa and California.
Lineage
Family tree
Parentage not recorded — Touriga Nacional is an old variety of unknown origin.
No crossings involving Touriga Nacional are documented in the collection yet.