Touriga Franca: the workhorse that rules the Douro

Despite the name, it isn't French. VIVC, the international catalog of grape varieties, records its origin in Portugal and a parentage confirmed by DNA analysis: it was born from a natural cross between Touriga Nacional and Marufo, a Portuguese grape that also goes by Mourisco Tinto.

Until 2000, its official name was Touriga Francesa. That comes from ADVID, the Douro viticulture association, which describes the grape as traditional to the region. And where did the Francesa come from? The house found no serious source that explains it, so no legend here.

Numbers from the IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto): in 2023, Touriga Franca covered 10,727 hectares, 25% of the vineyards in the Douro Demarcated Region. A quarter of the region's entire vineyard. That's more than double the area of Touriga Nacional, one of its parent grapes.

The reason is practical. It yields reliably and stands up well to disease, says the IVDP. For anyone tending vines on the Douro's slopes, that's worth its weight in gold.

Meat with sauce and a bit of sweetness in the recipe: Sunday roast beef, picadinho (diced beef stew), pork ribs with barbecue sauce, a burger with caramelized onions, stroganoff. The velvety tannin doesn't fight the sauce.

With Port, it shows up in a different way. A young, fruity red Port goes well with chocolate cake or with guava paste and cheese, our Romeu e Julieta. All suggestions: your taste is the boss.

Touriga Francesa is the old name: if it shows up in a book or on an older label, that's the one. VIVC also lists regional nicknames, like Tinta da Barca and Tourigo Francês.

Almost always in a blend. The IVDP says it does well in the blend with Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional, and that trio shows up together in lots of Douro reds. A Touriga Franca varietal does exist and is worth hunting down: it's the way to hear its voice alone, without the gang.