Touriga Francesa

Touriga Francesa
Grape (Vitis)
Species Vitis vinifera
Also called Touriga Franca (more)
Origin Portugal
Notable regions Douro, Dão
Notable wines Port

Touriga Francesa (or Touriga Franca) is one of the major grape varieties used to produce port wine. Touriga Francesa is lighter and more perfumed than Touriga Nacional, adding finesse to the wine. Touriga Francesa has been described by Jancis Robinson as playing "Cabernet Franc to Touriga Nacional’s Cabernet Sauvignon".[1] Not much is known about the origins, but it was probably a cross of Mourisco de Semente and Touriga Nacional. Touriga Francesa is quite similar to Touriga Nacional, needing harsh conditions to keep vigor down as it gets on the steep arid slopes of the Douro. It is usually trained low to the ground under one of the Royat systems. Yields are medium (1,5 kg/vine), not as bad as Touriga Nacional.

Wine regions

  • In Australia, there have been experimental plantings of the grape in Tasmania and other areas for port style wines.
  • In Portugal, Touriga Francesa is the fifth most planted grape, with 7,440 hectares. It plays an important part in port blends. Like Nacional, the variety is increasingly being used for unfortified red wine in the Douro and in the Dão.
  • In the US, producers of port style wines have experimented with using Touriga Francesa as a way to improve their product.[2]

Synonyms

Albino de Souza, Esgana Cão, Rifete, Touriga Francesa,[3] Touriga Francesa, Touriga Francesca.

See also

References

  1. ↑ J. Robinson Vines, Grapes & Wines pg 216 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1-85732-999-6
  2. ↑ Goldfarb, Alan (2007-03-23). "A visit to Prager Port Works: Has the ship finally come in for California Port-style wines?". Appellation America. Retrieved 2007-04-30. Great article on the new Californian 'ports'.
  3. ↑ Maul, E.; Eibach, R. (1999-06-00). "Vitis International Variety Catalogue". Information and Coordination Centre for Biological Diversity (IBV) of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE), Deichmanns Aue 29, 53179 Bonn, Germany. Retrieved 2007-04-30. Check date values in: |date= (help)
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