Touriga producers in California?

I have heard that Touriga Nacional is a grape that is being planted in some regions in California to anticipate climate change. Looking around I have not seen many producers making Touriga wines so I thought I would ask for some recommendations to check out. I am aware of the SQN/Kyn wines but they are way out of my price range. I look forward to responses. Thanks!!

Arnot-Robert makes a Rose I believe

Quinta Cruz makes a good one, if you can find it.

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Great suggestion Mark. FWIW you probably know that Quinta Cruz is a label for Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard for their Spanish and Portuguese
varieties.

Sean: since you are in San Jose it is an easy drive to SCMV tasting room in Santa Cruz or you can order straight from them https://www.santacruzmountainvineyard.com/ Very under rated winery.

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Ficklin probably has the oldest vines, but the fruit is used in their port blends.

here’s CT list

Arnot-Roberts 39.0% Bottles (1,799)
Next of Kyn 14.5% Bottles (669)
Gandona 5.4% Bottles (247)
Jeff Runquist 5.2% Bottles (239)
Kenneth Volk 3.8% Bottles (175)
Orison 3.1% Bottles (144)
St. Amant Winery 2.0% Bottles (90)
Ana Diogo-Draper 1.8% Bottles (85)
Adelaida 1.6% Bottles (73)
Cinquain Cellars 1.5% Bottles (70)
Murrieta’s Well 1.1% Bottles (52)
Mongrel Rouge 1.1% Bottles (50)
Robert Foley 0.9% Bottles (42)
Daniel Gehrs 0.9% Bottles (42)
Barton Orchard 0.9% Bottles (40)
Viña Robles 0.8% Bottles (36)
Toogood Winery 0.7% Bottles (33)
C.G. di Arie 0.7% Bottles (33)
Amador Cellars 0.7% Bottles (32)
Bodegas Paso Robles 0.7% Bottles (32)
Miramonte 0.7% Bottles (31)
Kent Rasmussen 0.7% Bottles (30)
Twisted Oak 0.6% Bottles (28)
Pasoport Wine Co. 0.6% Bottles (27)
Dante Robere 0.6% Bottles (26)
Ficklin Vineyards 0.6% Bottles (26)
Pierce Ranch 0.5% Bottles (25)
St. Jorge Winery 0.5% Bottles (24)
Fenestra 0.5% Bottles (24)
Young’s Vineyard 0.5% Bottles (23)
Steven Kent Winery 0.5% Bottles (23)
Chatom Vineyards 0.5% Bottles (21)
Cedar Mountain 0.4% Bottles (19)
WINC Buellton 0.4% Bottles (18)
Quinta Cruz 0.4% Bottles (17)
Scheid Vineyards 0.3% Bottles (15)
Suncé 0.3% Bottles (14)
Wise Villa Winery 0.3% Bottles (13)
Per Cazo Cellars 0.3% Bottles (13)
Tolo Cellars 0.3% Bottles (12)
Bumgarner 0.2% Bottles (11)
Sarah & Ana 0.2% Bottles (11)
Twisted Barrel Winery 0.2% Bottles (9)
Beaulieu Vineyard 0.2% Bottles (8)
Bray Vineyards 0.2% Bottles (8)
Fresno State Winery 0.2% Bottles (7)
Francis Ford Coppola 0.2% Bottles (7)
Kalyra 0.2% Bottles (7)
Shirah 0.2% Bottles (7)
Roxo Port Cellars 0.2% Bottles (7)
Bodegas Aguirre 0.1% Bottles (6)
Forlorn Hope 0.1% Bottles (6)
Field Recordings Wine 0.1% Bottles (6)
Labyrinth Wines 0.1% Bottles (6)
Steele Wines 0.1% Bottles (6)
Darcie Kent Vineyards 0.1% Bottles (6)
Hunt Cellars 0.1% Bottles (5)
Via Vega Vineyard 0.1% Bottles (5)
Trevor Grace 0.1% Bottles (5)
Stone’s Throw (Wisconsin) 0.1% Bottles (5)
Occasio 0.1% Bottles (5)
Zucca Mountain Vineyards 0.1% Bottles (4)
Bon Niche 0.1% Bottles (4)
South Coast Winery 0.1% Bottles (4)
Hallcrest Vineyards 0.1% Bottles (4)9)

So does this really make it Touriga Internacional?

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Highly recommend the excursion. Not only is there an amazing selection of Southern European grapes under the Quinta Cruz label (try the Albariño!), it is also a winery with tremendous influence on Santa Cruz Mountains AVA history. As added bonus you can stop by Silver Mountain, Equinox and a couple others in the immediate vicinity, and get some charcuterie from El Salsichero to go with it.

WOW - this is great. I did not know you could pull from CT like this!

Next of Kyn (a la Sine Qua Non) started making a Touriga in 2015 and putting a bottle in their box set. Last year they did a separate box set of Touriga and it sold out immediately (to my chagrin). Well-reviewed and high CT scores, as you would expect, but $$$$.

Having never tasted non-Portuguese Touriga Nacional, this is a really interesting thread to me. I was aware of there being several Australian examples, but had no idea there were already so many California ones as well.

This is very helpful. I’m looking to add a Touriga to the SW lineup this year and the CT dump has given me some new leads!

Im down for meeting up if you ever want to taste there. Jeff typically makes 3 different touriga’s

They do a
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Franca
and Touriga (A blend of the two).

Their Graciano and Castelão are pretty damn good too…

Sean

Hey Sean would definitely like to meet up when things get closer back to normal. [cheers.gif]

On a side note: @Wes Barton and I made a 2019 100% Whole Cluster Touriga Nacional and bottled it last fall. Would be glad to share some with locals anytime. We also made a 2019 Tinta Cao from the same vineyard.

Sean

Can people who aren’t named Sean attend?
Mind if we call you Bruce?

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Only wine lovers [cheers.gif]

Of Course, Always excited to meet local Berserkers… and BTW: If we go to Santa Cruz to taste we can’t miss stopping by https://www.birichino.com/

Lake county also had some, but these were ripped up a few years ago.
The Ficklin vines date from the 1940’s.

It’s about 60% whole cluster.