Jo Ann Truchard of Truchard Vineyards
What is your job?
I travel with my husband, Tony, to participate in wine-maker dinners and other wine events to represent Truchard Vineyards. At the office, I am in charge of payroll and bill paying. Also I have the pleasure of conducting tours and tastings for our winery for our guests. We also have 3 other tour guides, including our son, Anthony.
Where is your winery?
We are located in Napa Valley in the wonderful cooler region known as Carneros.
Why did you choose that location?
When we were looking for property in the early ’70s, this region was “not yet discovered”. We were impressed at the lower price per acre for purchasing here, aw well as the rolling hills of pasture land and orchards.
How many employees do you have?
We have 8 in the winery and 19 in the vineyard. During harvest, the numbers in the vineyard go up considerably.
Why did you choose wine?
We started with growing grapes in our vineyards and as we tasted the wines made from the grapes, we started enjoying and appreciating wine more and more.
Describe your wine in one word.
Balanced
What is your favorite varietal?
Pinot Noir
What was your favorite wine that you produced and what set it apart from your other wines?
2000 Roussanne was our first white Rhone that we made. The floral notes and honey flavors and the full mouth feel set it apart from the other wines.
What was your greatest ever wine experience?
The greatest ever wine experience was when James Laube of the Wine Spectator invited Truchard Vineyards to be on the panel of the Hot New California wineries at the New York Wine Experience to show our 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon. Other wineries were Harlan, Screaming Eagle, Lewis, etc. What an honor!
What is your favorite meal to pair with one of your wines?
Roasted chicken coated with herbs such as oregano, tarragon and basil and Truchard olive oil. Then stuffed with rosemary and onion. Pair this with Truchard Pinot Noir for a delicious meal.
What does “terroir” mean to you?
Terroir is the wonderful combination of great soil and weather that produces the great grapes. We feel that we have found this terroir in Carneros which is why we have grown our estate from the original 21 acres to 400 acres by purchasing adjacent parcels of land over the last 30 years. Our diversity of soils from marine sediments to volcanic soils and the cool marine fog and breezes are essential for our grapes to mature and retain their acidity.
Besides your own wines, who would you say is your favorite wine producer?
We enjoy the wonderful wines from Alsace.
What do you hope for the future of your winery?
We have 6 children who enjoy wine. Our hope is that they will continue the legacy of Truchard vineyards and winery.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of wine?
Traveling and photography
What is your favorite sports team?
Being Texans, our favorite college is the University of Texas and professional sports is the Dallas Cowboys.
If you were not into wine, what would you do?
I enjoy working with children so would probably be a teacher, which I did do in my earlier life, or work with a non-profit.
A Note from jo Ann: Thanks for giving us an opportunity to share our life at Truchard Vineyards with your guests at Stonehedge Inn.
