There are thousands of brands of wine on the planet.
And we’ve tried most of them.
So deciding which ones are story worthy is a difficult task. But it only took one sip and a lunch meeting with the McBride sisters to know that theirs was a brand we had to trumpet from the highest mountain of the internet.
The condensed version of their Lifetime Movie-worthy tale is this: Andrea McBride was living in New Zealand wine country when her estranged father called her to tell her three things.
- He’d just gotten out of prison.
- She had a sister. And,
- He was dying.
It was a lot to digest for a teenager, but through the perseverance of extended family and some talented private investigators in a pre-Internet world, she was eventually reunited with her older sister, Robin, who’d been living in California wine country.
After being separated by more than 7,000 miles, their reunion was fate. They felt invincible and their mutual love for wine culture led them to start their own wineries.
They have two different wine brands. One is made with New Zealand grapes. The other, Truvée, from California grapes.
We can only vouch for Truvée. The Monterey Chardonnay’s flavors of white peach, pear, citrus zest, green apple, pineapple, vanilla, oak and delicate notes of white florals are perfect for summer (and sangria).
The Truvée Red Blend is a mellow, food-friendly wine made with grapes from all over California, yielding a perfect mix of cherry, blueberry, blackberry, cocoa and caramel. For anyone who finds reds unapproachable, this is a game changer.
So when you hit the wine store this weekend, ask for Truvée.
It won’t compare to finding a long-lost sibling, but it’s a remarkable discovery nonetheless.
Truvée Wines, $15.99 (suggested retail price)
www.mcbridesisters.com
Available online at www.thewinebar.com
Truvée White Sangria
Serves 12
1 750 ml bottle of Truvée Chardonnay
6 oz. bottle Ketel One Citroen
6 oz. elderflower liqueur
6 oz. Stellina di Notte Prosecco
Mix together in punch bowl or large container and serve over ice with raspberries, peaches and mint for garnish.
