The 2007 TOURIGA NACIONAL is the pick of this winery’s lineup this issue, charming and a very good value. Elegant, yet beautifully structured, this smooth and graceful Touriga is nuanced by plums and herbs. It has some character and complexity, intensity and a backbone. It is a lot of wine for the price, lacking some mid-palate concentration, but otherwise pretty respectable in its price range. Drink now-2016. I had a nice little vertical of the Touriga Nacional at the winery this Summer. They probably showed best in the 3-6 year age range, but the older wines were all still alive and drinking nicely going back to the first poured, the 1997. Considering the price point here—up and down the lineup, the prices are right for generally pleasant wines—that is a pretty respectable performance. They deliver some bang for the buck.Importer: Tri-Vin Imports, Mt. Vernon, NY; tel. (914) 664-3155.

The 2005 TOURIGA NACIONAL is very dark in color. It is a charming wine, elegant, aromatic and graceful, if a bit lacking in mid-palate concentration. The finish is a bit short, but its attractive bouquet, pure flavors and easy charm give it a debonair feel. Drink now-2012. Importer: Tri-Vin Imports, Mt. Vernon, NY; tel. (914) 664-3155.

This family estate has produced an impressive, ripe wine, showing the dried fruit and austere edge of Touriga Nacional, but in the context of a dark, layered complex wine that starts with black fruits and finishes with sweet spice, acidity and flavors that go right through the palate.——R.V.(11/1/2008)—— 90