2020 The Messenger Touriga Nacional, Douro, Portugal
Tasting Notes
Portugal’s beloved Touriga Nacional has long been a staple in the country’s famed vintage ports with references to its cultivation in Douro dating back to the 17th century. As a dry red wine, the variety is also fabulous. Often overlooked by grape growers because it is hard to grow, recent improvements to farming and vine selection have thankfully allowed for the varietal’s resurgence as a dry red wine. This wine has stunning dark berry flavors. It is deep and dark but smooth and gentle at the same time. Think full-bodied and light on its feet. Strong and nimble. Delicious now and for at least another 5 years, maybe more.
The Story
As a child growing up in Australia, Rob would accompany his dad to one of the local wineries where they would ‘go around the back’ and find a designated barrel of Port wine with a unique chalk mark. Once the barrel was identified they siphoned the Port into their 5-gallon container. Doing this required sticking a hose in the barrel, sucking on it until the Port started flowing, and then jamming the hose into the container without drinking or spilling too much. Rob figures his first taste of Port was probably around the age of 10, courtesy of
this siphoning hose. Once the container was filled, they would hand some cash to the cellar guy and return home to carefully decant the Port into a selection of small barrels. To this day, Rob’s 94-year-old father still keeps a small barrel of Port at the ready to share with friends.
Rob’s fascination with Port grew from these early experiences and evolved into a love of Portugal’s famed Vintage Ports and eventually triggered a visit to Porto. Now, he was expecting the Ports to be glorious - and they were. The big surprise was how good the dry table wines were. Screamingly good white and red wines that were also very reasonably priced.
Kat and Rob discovered a small family farm growing grapes and making wine in both the Douro region near Porto and the Vinho Verde region further north. Standing out among their varied offerings were the Alvarinho (Albariño) and Touriga Nacional. The family has an unusual arrangement with another customer that prohibits us from using their name, which is a shame. However, the story of the Portuguese family and their wines took Rob back to his childhood and reminded him of the family his Dad would buy Port from. In every way, these wines are an expression of the land that grew them and the hands that have touched them.
It started 20 years ago with an opportunity to work for a craft brewer in Western Australia. Showing up in Australia with a degree from the University of California, a good work ethic and a “can do” spirit was the perfect combination of right place-right time. After three years down under, Kat moved back to the US, and her husband, Australian Rob McDonald quickly followed.
They founded Old Bridge Cellars and began importing the legendary Australian wines they both loved…d’Arenberg, Jasper Hill, Yarra Yaring, Leeuwin Estate. Along the way, Kat took a break and went to law school, they planted vineyards in both Australia and the Napa Valley and began making their own wines including the eponymous named Mak.
In 2008, they founded Art+Farm Wine in Napa. Art+Farm is home to their single vineyard wines the girls in the vineyard, their outrageous blends-The Messenger and their true varietals: Circadia.
Kat and Rob live in Napa with their two children and an odd looking creature that is supposed to be a dog. Kat is a little obsessed with her heritage breed chickens and the eggs they lay and also her bees. Rob is obsessed with compost and growing the perfect tomato. Both are huge proponents of dry farming and see water as the single biggest factor in the future of agriculture.
Available States
CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, WA, WI
We all have our rituals when a Lab Rat reports for duty. Whether its waiting for the arrival, what food to pair it with, or the unfamiliar grape you thought you never tried such as Tourisa Nacional? What the heck is this? Portugal ok. Port Gotcha. After brief research I gathered this is a dry tannic version of port minus the fortification, right on!
The Messenger-Touriga Nacional-Douro 2020
Look: Deep purple with light violet edging, Inky, thick legs showing off its viscosity.
Nose: Initially I picked up soft blue fruit, a waft of tingling spice. Picked up some amazing floral notes on the second day.
Taste: Blackberry, the black pepper like spice I picked up on the nose, light on the fruit profile, lavender, dry, soft tannins, good acid. Those notes became more integrated on the second day with some blueberries alongside the blackberry.
Impressions: This is some inky, teeth staining juice that did well on the first day and maybe even better on the second. It paired well with Smoked braised oxtails over rice, probably better with lamb or sausage. The Messengers Touriga Nacional back label was spot on with their description. This wine surprised us, more so me after seeing wifey pour herself a second glass?! I’m in for a case… but Nevada is on the no ship list.
Thanks Alice and WD, y’all have always been great.
I received a bottle of The Messenger this week. A quick night in Orlando for a conference and preparing for a trip to Michigan in the morning meant I didn’t have the opportunity to wrangle my usual tasting partners.
I opened the bottle this evening and poured a glass while my sirloins and rice were cooking. My first sip was very pleasant. Definitely some berry flavors and a clean finish. No alcohol aroma and no burn. It was a good glass.
Twenty minutes later I had some with dinner. Still tasty, but there was a bit of burn present this time but it wasn’t off putting. At the price offered, I would think this would be a great wine to share with friends without breaking the bank.
… Now, a couple hours later, there isn’t much change. Overall, pretty good.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 The Messenger Touriga Nacional - $30 = 20.00%
Rob (winemaker) here from Art+Farm Wine. Noticed a question about Residual sugar - its 4 g/L which means no perceptible sugar sweetness. Also, noticed a comment about Touriga being tannic - it can be but this one has silky tannins, not coarse in any way. This wine is perfect for anyone who wants a break from simple, fruity reds.
@vandemusser yeah, that Albarino is fabulous even if I do say so myself. Aromatics, texture, flavor, freshness - complete package, Happy it worked for you.
@artfarmwine
Rob, what’s the story on how Portugal got into your mix?
Did ya get lost on the way to or from Austriala from California? As fate would have it, I opened a bottle just last Wednesday night of Tourgia red from an offer casemates had previously (different vintner). I was very impressed, as how this grape makes a red wine, as it’s been billed for centuries(?) as a grape for Port. Urge other people on the fence to jump off and add another variety to their cellar.
Back in 1999 I worked the harvest at Yarra Yering in the Yarra Valley of Australia, YY makes a port and a dry red from Portuguese varieties, both of which are consistently stunning (and expensive). When Kat and I visited Portugal we realized how stunningly good and inexpensive the dry table wines were so we immediately set about producing our own.
Never met a Messenger I did not like
Amazing QPR imo
I shouldn’t be buying because I over extended myself yesterday during Berserker Day but will likely go in on a six pack
@ArtFarmWine do you mind sharing tech sheet information such as TA, PH, etc Also, how much time spent in oak and type and percentage ie new vs one use or neutral? Thank you!
OK, I’m curious. The only Touriga Nacional I’ve ever had was from Twisted Oak … I wanna see how one from the homeland compares to their Californicated version (which I definitely like!)
/giphy frosted-loud-tongue
If any of the southern Michigan group doing the Peterson split was interested in off loading a 1/2 or 1/3 of a case, I’d be interested. No shipping to IN
@Winedavid49@ArtFarmWine
Seems like a skimpy shipping list compared to what’s posted on the website:
Due to the restrictions of many state laws, we only ship wine to those states where direct shipment is permitted by law. At the present time, we can ship to: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
@kls_in_MD
Could be that their website needs an update…or a lot of licenses recently expired and haven’t come back yet. Hopefully someone will chime in and let y’all know.
@karenhynes@kls_in_MD unfortunately state by state licensing mainly comes down to $ and in some cases PITA level. Does the amount of business we do in the state justify the cost and/ or aggravation of the license. We will review our licenses and see if we can add some more states for future offers.
2020 The Messenger Touriga Nacional, Douro, Portugal
Tasting Notes
The Story
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$225.00/Case for 12x 2020 The Messenger Touriga Nacional at Art + Farm Wine
About The Winery
Available States
CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 20 - Wednesday, Feb 22
2020 The Messenger Touriga Nacional
6 bottles for $74.99 $12.50/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $119.99 $10/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
We all have our rituals when a Lab Rat reports for duty. Whether its waiting for the arrival, what food to pair it with, or the unfamiliar grape you thought you never tried such as Tourisa Nacional? What the heck is this? Portugal ok. Port Gotcha. After brief research I gathered this is a dry tannic version of port minus the fortification, right on!
The Messenger-Touriga Nacional-Douro 2020
Look: Deep purple with light violet edging, Inky, thick legs showing off its viscosity.
Nose: Initially I picked up soft blue fruit, a waft of tingling spice. Picked up some amazing floral notes on the second day.
Taste: Blackberry, the black pepper like spice I picked up on the nose, light on the fruit profile, lavender, dry, soft tannins, good acid. Those notes became more integrated on the second day with some blueberries alongside the blackberry.
Impressions: This is some inky, teeth staining juice that did well on the first day and maybe even better on the second. It paired well with Smoked braised oxtails over rice, probably better with lamb or sausage. The Messengers Touriga Nacional back label was spot on with their description. This wine surprised us, more so me after seeing wifey pour herself a second glass?! I’m in for a case… but Nevada is on the no ship list.
Thanks Alice and WD, y’all have always been great.
@winedavid49 For reals, can we get NV on the ship list?
@TechnoViking checking.
@Winedavid49 sweet, I’ll be 100% in if that gets updated. I’ve rarely seen a deal where NV was not included.
Is this the same Messenger that was in the mystery cases? (Way too tired to find the box and dig through it.)
Edit: Ah…mine is a 2018 Cab. Never mind.
I received a bottle of The Messenger this week. A quick night in Orlando for a conference and preparing for a trip to Michigan in the morning meant I didn’t have the opportunity to wrangle my usual tasting partners.
I opened the bottle this evening and poured a glass while my sirloins and rice were cooking. My first sip was very pleasant. Definitely some berry flavors and a clean finish. No alcohol aroma and no burn. It was a good glass.
Twenty minutes later I had some with dinner. Still tasty, but there was a bit of burn present this time but it wasn’t off putting. At the price offered, I would think this would be a great wine to share with friends without breaking the bank.
… Now, a couple hours later, there isn’t much change. Overall, pretty good.
Thanks for the opportunity to rat once again.
Residual sugar?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2020 The Messenger Touriga Nacional - $30 = 20.00%
No Maryland and a limited list of “ship to” states. Boo, I really want this.
Rob (winemaker) here from Art+Farm Wine. Noticed a question about Residual sugar - its 4 g/L which means no perceptible sugar sweetness. Also, noticed a comment about Touriga being tannic - it can be but this one has silky tannins, not coarse in any way. This wine is perfect for anyone who wants a break from simple, fruity reds.
@ArtFarmWine Rob, is this a wine the two of you made it simply sourced? Just curious … Cheers!
/giphy blase-majestic-garden
If it’s half as good as their previous offer of Albariño, it’s still a crazy good deal.
/giphy transient-applicable-cilantro
@vandemusser yeah, that Albarino is fabulous even if I do say so myself. Aromatics, texture, flavor, freshness - complete package, Happy it worked for you.
@ArtFarmWine @vandemusser Hadn’t tried it yet, but looking forward to enjoying a bottle with dinner tonight.
@artfarmwine
Rob, what’s the story on how Portugal got into your mix?
Did ya get lost on the way to or from Austriala from California? As fate would have it, I opened a bottle just last Wednesday night of Tourgia red from an offer casemates had previously (different vintner). I was very impressed, as how this grape makes a red wine, as it’s been billed for centuries(?) as a grape for Port. Urge other people on the fence to jump off and add another variety to their cellar.
@winecaseaholic
Back in 1999 I worked the harvest at Yarra Yering in the Yarra Valley of Australia, YY makes a port and a dry red from Portuguese varieties, both of which are consistently stunning (and expensive). When Kat and I visited Portugal we realized how stunningly good and inexpensive the dry table wines were so we immediately set about producing our own.
Never met a Messenger I did not like
Amazing QPR imo
I shouldn’t be buying because I over extended myself yesterday during Berserker Day but will likely go in on a six pack
@losthighwayz Awesome thanks, you hit on 2 of my main qualifiers for producing a wine. Delicious and good value.
LEGOS! EGGOS! STRATEGO! AWESOME!
@ArtFarmWine do you mind sharing tech sheet information such as TA, PH, etc Also, how much time spent in oak and type and percentage ie new vs one use or neutral? Thank you!
OK, I’m curious. The only Touriga Nacional I’ve ever had was from Twisted Oak … I wanna see how one from the homeland compares to their Californicated version (which I definitely like!)
/giphy frosted-loud-tongue
@Foobarski I don’t see where it says the grapes came from “the homeland.” I assume they’re from California, since they have vineyards in Napa.
@ddeuddeg @Foobarski grapes are grown in the Douro region of Portugal
@ArtFarmWine @Foobarski That answers that. Thanks. So how do you get the grapes here?
Alvarinho was amazing, went in on 6!
Have loved Touriga since a vineyard here in Texas produced a batch years back. In for a case.
/giphy unsuitable-ghostly-nation
an avocado? I get an avocado?
@thatmikereed you can quickly edit and save for something different, (within 5 minutes)
In for a case since my next trip is to Portugal! Even though I have taken advantage of a few of the offers this past week!
Let’s do this
/giphy rustic-zany-scrooge
A rarity - No VA unfortunately. Looks like a great deal and thanks for the rattage
If any of the southern Michigan group doing the Peterson split was interested in off loading a 1/2 or 1/3 of a case, I’d be interested. No shipping to IN
@StellaDarling whoops, sorry. Missed the cases
I wanted to buy on Saturday then looked away
I would love to try this. Any chance that this could be shipped to Alabama?
2/3rds of the DMV is a No-Ship zone? That’s a buncha ship. Ida grabbed half a case… Anybody in DC want to w00tleg a half case up to MD?
@Winedavid49 @ArtFarmWine
Seems like a skimpy shipping list compared to what’s posted on the website:
Due to the restrictions of many state laws, we only ship wine to those states where direct shipment is permitted by law. At the present time, we can ship to: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
@karenhynes YEAH!
@kls_in_MD
Could be that their website needs an update…or a lot of licenses recently expired and haven’t come back yet. Hopefully someone will chime in and let y’all know.
@karenhynes @kls_in_MD yes, website needs updating - sorry about that
@ArtFarmWine @kls_in_MD
Thanks for the clarification…bummer for lots of CaseMateys.
@karenhynes @kls_in_MD unfortunately state by state licensing mainly comes down to $ and in some cases PITA level. Does the amount of business we do in the state justify the cost and/ or aggravation of the license. We will review our licenses and see if we can add some more states for future offers.
@ArtFarmWine @kls_in_MD
Totally understand! Licensing costs are high and the red tape must be miserable to deal with. Cheers!
@ArtFarmWine @karenhynes @kls_in_MD
Become active, contacts below
Free the Grapes
Wine Institute
Vermont?!
Specs?
Oak used?
Thanks
@losthighwayz neutral oak TA 5.58, pH 3.66 at bottling
Just had to order 6 because the cases were sold out-if you are on the fence you better hurry
Looks like cases are back
@kitkat34 and 6’ers are SO
/giphy famished-dingy-goose
