Hi Fred,
I recently had an all varietal Tourigo Nacional from my wine club, Winc, made from Paso Robles grapes n CA. I found the wine to be quite fruity, fermented to dry, with minimal oak and earth. I would liken it to a Gamay, Grenache, or Pinot Noir. The California stuff seems to be lighter and fruitier. I think I would go with RC212 to enhance that, and maybe do a kiss of oak, if any at all.
https://www.winc.com/wines/2016-field-theory-touriga-nacional-12092
Here are their notes:
Our single-vineyard, uniquely fresh version of the rare Touriga Nacional.
Field Theory highlights curious varietals from unfamiliar places, like this Touriga Nacional from Pomar Junction Vineyard in Paso Robles, CA. To make our own rendition of this rare-to-California varietal, we hand-picked and whole berry fermented the grapes and aged the wine in neutral oak barrels for eight months. The result is a light, early-drinking red with a fresh, fruit-forward flavor. Pro tip: On a warm day, drink slightly chilled.
Tasting notes of pink pepper, red cherry, strawberry.
light, fruity, small batch
- Body: light
- Sweetness: dry
- Alcohol: 12.4%
- Winemaking: vegan
Here's what Wine Folly has to say:
https://winefolly.com/review/exploring-touriga-nacional-wine/ and they describe it as very tannic and floral, when made from Portuguese grapes.