Collection: Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional is one of Portugal's most distinctive black grapes, and it has its roots in the Douro valley. This is where it originated, and this is where it remains anchored. The grape produces powerful red wines with rich tannins, and it is precisely the combination of structure, complexity and ability to develop over time that has made it so well-loved. Historically, Touriga Nacional was considered the finest of the port grapes, and that legacy can still be felt in the dense, deep wines it gives.

At Copenhagen Wine we carry Touriga Nacional exclusively from Douro. All of our wines made from this grape are Portuguese, and they come from the area where the grape has its origin. This means wines with a clear sense of place, where the connection between grape and terroir is easy to spot. Besides its central role in Douro, Touriga Nacional is also grown in other Portuguese regions, but it is from the valley along the Douro that we source our bottles.

The grape is also known under synonyms such as Touriga and Bical Tinto, and it belongs to the species Vitis vinifera. Interestingly, Touriga Nacional has crossed the border into Spain, where it is grown experimentally in Castilla y León. At Abadía Retuerta they work with the grape, and in the appellation Arribes it is vinified as a pure varietal, that is to say entirely on its own. This shows that a grape which for generations has defined Portuguese wine also sparks interest on the other side of the border.

If you want to explore Touriga Nacional, Douro is a natural place to begin. The rich tannins and the inherent complexity mean that the wines often benefit from a little time in the cellar, where the structure is allowed to settle and the flavour profile to unfold. These are wines with both body and endurance, and they clearly bear the mark of the Portuguese valley from which they come.