Wine a Day

I did a piece a while back about Touriga Nacional and the pros and cons of it being a flagship wine for Portugal. One thing that was a big plus is that the grape makes fantastic wine. It is usually blended with other grapes to go into Port or table wines; and although I still enjoy these blended wines over single varietals, they are interesting for people like me who have grown up with more commonly planted varietals.

I have been asked by a few people what I would compare Touriga Nacional wines to. That is a tricky one. It is a native grape to Portugal, and with most of the natives here, it has its own character which make the wines from Portugal so interesting. It isn’t quite as big and heavy as a Shiraz/Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon; however it has more depth to it than a Tempranillo or Pinot Noir. As I said it is tricky comparing it to more widely planted grapes. My advice is to give one a try and find out for yourself. While you are at the wine shop, pick a blended Portuguese wine as well – this should give you a good taste of Portugal.

So this week’s Wine Experience of the Week is the 2006 Herdade das Servas Touriga Nacional. Traditionally most of the production of this grape is in the Douro and Dão regions of Portugal, however more and more of it is being planted in other regions, including the Alentejo where Herdade das Servas is near the town of Estremoz. This wine has a deep purple color and an aroma of violet flowers and intense red berries. Tasting the wine gives you darker berry flavors which lead to the dry but rounded tannins and some good spice. The finish is long with a bit of a chocolaty taste. It has spent at least 12 months in mainly French oak, however it doesn’t have an overpowering oaky flavor. It would go well with grilled pork or beef, but you need to have some herbs and spices with it to bring out some of the notes in the wine.

This wine will develop well with age, so in 5 to 10 years it will have even more complexity and be a lot smoother. As I said above you need to experience the wines made from this varietal for yourself to make your own mind up about it. On your next visit to the wine shop see if you can find a single varietal Touriga Nacional and give it a try. I am sure you will be impressed. Or even better, if you come to Portugal, get in contact with us and we can take you out to some of the vineyards and you can experience some of the best for yourself.