Considered Portugal's most emblematic red grape variety, Touriga Nacional is a true icon of national viticulture. Originating in the Dão region, it has spread to conquer other wine-growing regions. It is now an unmistakable presence in the Douro and other territories, making it one of the most widely planted varieties in the country.
A low-yielding plant with small, compact bunches, it is distinguished by an excellent concentration of colouring matter and phenolic compounds, high natural acidity, and great aromatic expressiveness. It is valued both in blends and single-varietal wines.
Its aromas are captivating and complex: violets, bergamot, blackberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, and plums, sometimes with hints of pine forest, wild herbs, and sweet spices. On tasting, it combines body, structure, and firm tannins with an elegant, fresh profile and good ageing potential.
Despite their great adaptability, Touriga Nacional grapes are not all the same. In the Douro, it favours concentration, tannins and ripe fruit; in the Dão, it is more delicate and aromatic, with floral and forest notes; in the Alentejo, it is softer and fuller in the mouth; in Setúbal, it displays red and black fruits in jam and round tannins. We also find it across borders: in Bordeaux, it is an authorised grape variety, appreciated for its late ripening cycle — helpful in mitigating the effects of spring frosts and summer heat waves; in South Africa, it is used in Port-style blends; in Australia, Spain, California and Brazil, its potential is being explored in different interpretations, including single-varietal wines.
At Quinta do Convento de S. Pedro das Águias, this grape variety finds ideal conditions to shine, benefiting from the altitude and the transitional soils between schist, granite and white quartz of our Távora Valley. The result is wines with a firm structure, great freshness and elegance, and a unique identity.
Touriga Nacional is present in almost all our wines—Hasso, Quinta do Convento Colheita Tinto, Quinta do Convento Reserva (a blend of old vines), and Port wines. It is mainly responsible for our blends' intense, structured, and aromatic character.
For all these reasons, Touriga Nacional is a grape variety that combines origin and identity with impressive versatility, and continues to win over winemakers and consumers both at home and abroad.
