Touriga Nacional is a red grape indigenous to Portugal and commonly used in blends to make fortified Port wine. It is hypothesized that it originates from Tourigo, a small village about 100km (62 miles) southeast of Porto. It once accounted for almost the entirety of the red grapes planted in the Dao. This number dropped to roughly 5% in the mid 1980s. This is due to many factors that all combined to result in inconsistent yields between harvests. Through research, methods of improving productivity while maintaining quality were developed. With these methods, areas under vine in Portugal more than doubled during the first decade of the 21st century. As it has garnered more respect, the plantings of it have increased worldwide, including California, Oregon, Washington State, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. It continues to be used in the production of fortified wines and blends, as well as dry varietal wines. Touriga Nacional can be highly concentrated with rich fruit and heavy tannins. These characteristics can be overpowering so these wines can be toned down by blending with either lighter incarnations of Touriga Nacional or with other grape varieties.
This week, I drank a 2017 Quinta da Romaneira Touriga Nacional from Douro DOC. Due to those aforementioned tannins, as well as higher levels of acidity, these wines can have the potential to age for prolonged periods. This wine, despite being 6 years old, still had a medium ruby color that had not yet started to fade to more garnet tones. As red wines age, their color becomes less bright and slowly fades to a brownish tawny color. The color that once extended to the rim of the bowl also slowly begins to pull away so the color at the rim is nearly clear with the color being more concentrated towards the core. There are methods used by many wine producers to extend the life of the bright colors for as long as possible while some opt not to. One of the main reasons these methods are employed is because consumers heavily favor wines that display the expected color. Some grape varieties also hold color better than others. The legs on this wine also exhibited staining. The aromas of dried black cherries, ripe black plums, dried herbs, potpourri, vanilla, and smoke were perceptible without much effort. This dry wine still had ample tannin that calmed as the wine washed over my palate. The level of acidity was surprising despite anticipating it, which created a perception of the wine having a slightly lighter body than the full body expected and also balanced the intense fruit notes. The alcohol level was moderate, making it a good option for pairing with a summer BBQ. This well balanced wine had an extended finish that clang to the palate long after finishing each sip. I would happily bring this to a picnic because it would be ideal with burgers, brisket, ribs, or even bbq chicken on a warm summer afternoon.
-TheLooseTannin
A Trip Around the World of Wine in 52 Weeks 