Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional
Grape (Vitis)
Touriga cluster and leaf
Color of berry skin	Noir
Species	Vitis vinifera
Also called	Mortágua, Touriga (more)
Origin	Portugal
Notable regions	Douro, Dão
Notable wines	Port
VIVC number	12594

Touriga Nacional is a variety of red wine grape, considered by many to be Portugal's finest. Despite the low yields from its small grapes, it plays a big part in the blends used for ports, and is increasingly being used for table wine in the Douro and Dão. Touriga Nacional provides structure and body to wine, with high tannins and concentrated flavors of black fruit. Jancis Robinson has compared its relationship with Touriga Francesa to the partnership between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the former providing structure, the latter filling out the bouquet.^[1]