Truly Truchard – A Perfectly Appealing Pinot

My husband and I recently invited some new friends over for dinner and the talk turned to wine.  When one of our guests professed his love for red wine, saying, “we drink red with everything – fish, chicken – everything,” I heaved a sign of relief, noting the two bottles of red wine on the table.

I must confess that while I love to create food and wine pairings with both red and white wines – for example, a nice Riesling with our go-to-Great Sea Bass Quick recipe and a bold Rioja paired with my husband’s new awesome paella-on-the-grill masterpiece – my heart belongs to red. I find it so versatile, and I love that it works for every season – a nice touch in front of a cozy wintertime fire and the perfect complement to anything grilled.

But in my book, when it comes to red wines, nothing beats a Pinot Noir. From Thanksgiving turkeys to grilled shrimp, Pinot stands up to just about any meal. So, when the California Wine Club presented with the opportunity to try Truchard Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir, I ran for my corkscrew.

Founded in 1990, the California Wine Club offers wine enthusiasts the chance to sample wine from award-winning California wineries. The monthly wine club offers four levels of membership – each affording subscribers a range of wines at varying price points.

I first noticed the wine’s deep ruby color that gave it the appearance of a much more full-bodied wine. I then gave it a spin and watched the wine swirl down the side of the glass, indicating “good legs” (the appearance of the wine as it travels down the glass when swirled.)

And the taste? With a soft, smooth feel, the Truchard Pinot Noir features rustic, well-balanced flavors of ripe cherry and smoke, with a longer finish. I found it a wonderful accompaniment to the hearty pasta dish I prepared that evening and both enjoyed it with dinner, as well as to sip afterwards.

Now with the arrival of September, we’ll soon begin to roll out our fall recipes, and I have no doubt that Pinot Noir – and Truchard wines – will be on the table as well.

Truchard Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir retails for $28 online at the California Wine Club. Enter the promo code momcentral at checkout and receive four bottles of wine for the price of two.

Disclosure: Mom Central received a sample of Truchard Vineyard’s 2006 Pinot Noir courtesy of the California Wine Club to facilitate this review.

Stephanie Kaufman

Feeling for much of her life that she couldn't sit still long enough to thread a needle and that all in all, she'd rather be reading, Stephanie Kaufman discovered crafting in her late 40s and now loves knitting, sewing, and household decorative arts.