top red grape varietals

Portugal has over 250 native grape varietals which give Portuguese wines their distinct flavor and aroma. 

Here we take a look at the most widely used red varietals.

Touriga nacional

One of the top red varieties in Portugal, Touriga Nacional makes firm, richly colored wines with complex flavors and aromas of violets, ripe blackcurrants, raspberries and liquorice. Leading grape in Port wine production and other red blends. Originally a northern grape, it is now grown all over Portugal with a potential to produce powerful wines that can age well. 

touriga franca

Touriga Franca makes densely colored, firm, rich, and well balanced aromatic wines with floral overtones and blackberry fruit. This top grape of the Douro Valley is one of the five varietals officially permitted in Port wine production, and generally used in blends.

aragonez (tempranillo)

Aragonez, also known as Tinta Rotiz in northern Portugal, and Tempranillo in Spain, is a red varietal that makes fine and elegant red wines with aromas of red fruits, plums and blackberries, with firm tannins that provide great aging potential. Although it’s of the top grapes for Port and Douro wine production, it is mostly known as Aragonez in the Alentejo region. This varietal is generally used in blends with other varieties such as Trincadeira.