Vinha do Fava Touriga Nacional

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15 March 2026

Vinha do Fava Touriga Nacional comes from Casa Ermelinda Freitas, a producer going back to 1920. It is from Portugal’s Península de Setúbal and the estate has been run by three generations of women. Casa Ermelinda Freitas is also one of the biggest producers in Portugal.

The estate bought this vineyard from Senhor Fava, one of their long-standing top growers, when he retired. The wine was then named Vinha do Fava in his honour.

This wine has picked up 29 Gold medals across five vintages and was named Best Portuguese Wine by The Independent. It also carries a strong 4.1 score on Vivino. It is made from 100% Touriga Nacional and comes in at 13.5% ABV.

In the glass, you get blackberry, blueberry, oak and treacle aromas. On the taste, there is dark fruit and it feels round, soft, rich and full-bodied. The finish is long, with caramel, oak and a lingering woody aftertaste. Tannins are low. Sweetness sits just into off-dry, so there is a very slight sweetness, but nothing over the top.

This has been a long-term, consistently reliable favourite of mine. This 2023 vintage is one of the best yet, with a very agreeable woody finish.

It is available for £10.99 from Laithwaites.

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