The Wineslinger Chronicles: On “the road less traveled”, Texas Touriga National and Aglianico will bring you happiness!
Russ Kane – VintageTexas.com
Perhaps you recall the phrase “the road less traveled” as something you learned in a high school English class. It is actually from the final stanza of the Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken”. You might not remember that the poem uses the metaphor of two roads to symbolize the choices people make in life, but can also be applied to choices made in wines.
Speaking of choices… In my over 30 decades associated with wine, I’ve come across a remarkable number of people that surprisingly shy away from choices in wine. Often, they say, “I only drink Cabernet.” Others say, “I only drink Chardonnay.” In response, my typical response is simply one word… “Why?”
In my reoccurring refrain, “Texas is the Mediterranean of the USA”, Texas has a larger and different palette of wines to offer than the “more traveled” road to Cabernet or Chardonnay. What I’m suggesting is the “less traveled” Mediterranean road in Texas can take you many new and pleasurable wine experiences, but let’s start with just two of these Texas wines: Touriga National and Aglianico. Let’s explore…
Touriga Nacional – Transition from From Port to Table Wines
Touriga Nacional (often simply called “Touriga”) is a variety of red wine grape, considered to be one of Portugal’s finest. Despite the low yields in the vineyard from its small inky black berried clusters, it was long ago found to play a big part in the blends used for ports. However, in more resent decades, it is increasingly being found in table wines in the Portugal’s Douro and Dão regions. Its fame is its ability to thrive in searing heat and dry stony soils, which is one reason to consider this wine as a Texas winner. I got my start down this road during a trip to Portugal in the mid-2000s and in Texas at Lewis Wines shortly thereafter.
Recently, results show that Texas Touriga has, in fact, won over judges in the 2024 and 2025 San Francisco Chronicle international competitions. Check out these winners:
Double Gold – Parr Vineyards, 2019 Touriga Nacional, Texas Hill Country, Reserve.
Gold – Signor Vineyards, 2020 Touriga Nacional, Texas Hill Country.
Gold – Adega Vinho, 2019 Touriga Nacional, Texas Hill Country.
If you are asking, what kind of wine experience does it have and will it please my hunger for big bold red wines? The answer is, yes indeed. Touriga Nacional brings a big palate, and tooth-staining red wine richness with a noteworthy note of blueberry along with plum, blackberry, and cocoa. It’s tannins are also big and bold that bring structure and the quality of long term bottle aging.
Aglianico – The King of Southern Italy and Texas Wines
Aglianico (without pronouncing the “g”) is a full-bodied Italian red wine, known for its high tannins, acidity, and age-worthiness. Like Portugal’s Touriga, Aglianico seems to be right at home in the Texas heat, ripening well while retaining acidity, something that Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay simply can’t do. Aglianico originates from several regions in southern Italy, but Texas Aglianicos have been bringing home awards in international competitions like the San Francisco Chronicle competition.
Check out these Texas Aglianicos:
Double Gold – Duchman Family Winery, 2018 Aglianico, Oswald Vineyard.
Double Gold – Pontotoc Vineyard, 2021 Aglianico, Texas Hill Country.
Double Gold – Christoval Vineyards 2022 Aglianico, Texas
Gold – Perissos Vineyards and Winery, 2022 Aglianico, Texas Hill Country.
This path attracted me during a visit to Seth Martin’s Perrissos Vineyards. There, I found its ability to handle the vagaries of Texas hot weather, along with a Native American spear point that I spotted in a newly plowed row getting ready for planting.
What will you experience with Texas Aglianico? Its claim to fame is its full body wine, tannic structure, and acidity, with incredible aging potential, something you don’t usually find in more common grape varieties when handling hot weather. Flavors and aromas include black cherry and plum, cracked black pepper, smoke and hints of leather and softness on the palate gained with bottle age.
Why Follow the Less Traveled Texas Wine Road?
While the phrase “the road less traveled” implies a nonconformist or unique path, Frost emphasizes that the travelers decision to pick a path can be arbitrary or definitive. The takeaway message from both the poem and in Texas wine appreciation is to encourage individuality, embrace uncertainty, and seek growth and discovery of something that can be unexpectedly good.
Doc Russ, Texas Wineslinger says, “Sip and Savor Texas”.
Photo credits: Photos from wineries and multiple other sources.
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