Touriga Nacional is one of Portugal’s red wine treasures, with the vines producing small berries which in turn produce deeply coloured, fragrant and sometimes tannic wines. Notably, it is one of the main grapes used for making Port. So while it is not common to find this grape variety outside of Portugal, you might well find this grape popping up in countries with a rich heritage of making port inspired fortified wines, such as Australia. This Touriga comes from the Kelman family’s own vines in the Dao, just south of the Douro.

It is a wine that shows remarkable fresh fruit having been released with five years already spent in the Kelman cellars –12 months being in French oak. The tannins are ripe and shapely and add some extra flesh to fill out the mouth.  It is easy to sink into the smoky chocolate and cedar depths of the black berry fruit. The subtle creamy oak on the finish makes a great match for wild boar sausage or venison. It will also live happily in the cellar.

Quickie review «A juicy mouthful of ripe and plump berry fruit with a smoky chocolate depth. Fresh drinking now but a good candidate for further cellar time.»

Country of Origin: Dao, Portugal
Tasting Date: October 2018
Price:   UK£24.5 | €18
Drink: now– 5+ yrs
Needs food: no
Source: tasting

This wine was featured on a Winemusing.tv ‘Quickie Review’: