The winery: Family story with real depth. Tony Truchard (a physician, grandson of a French immigrant who tried and failed to start a Texas winery back in 1887) planted this Carneros site in 1972 when the region was considered unripenable for serious wine. He pioneered drip irrigation there, sold grapes to top Napa producers for 15 years, then started estate-bottling in 1989. Today it's 400 acres (280 planted), 100% estate-grown, still family-run.
The wine: "The Shepherd" is their playful, everyday red — a co-fermented blend of roughly 40% Syrah, 40% Zinfandel, 20% Tempranillo, aged ~12 months in French oak (about 30% new).
Tasting notes: Blackberry, plum, black cherry, and black pepper up front, with cedar, tobacco, and a touch of vanilla spice on the finish — playful and easy-drinking rather than heavy, despite the structure from the Syrah.
Food pairings: Grilled meats, pasta, grilled eggplant, black lentil soup, black olive pizza — built for casual, food-friendly drinking.
Certifications: Truchard is Napa Green Certified (Vineyard cert. 2015, Winery cert. 2016), roughly 80% sustainably farmed / 20% certified organic across the estate. Rainwater capture system, cover crops, compost from pomace, 20 rescue cats for rodent control, 100 goats for weed management on 30 acres, 7 beehives.
You may also like
More from Truchard
Recently viewed