Wine – Will Bake for Shoes

Right before I headed out to Hawaii, I was invited by the McBride’s Sister’s Truvée wine company for a food & wine tasting at Sen’s Restaurant in San Francisco. Sen’s is one of my favorite restaurants in SF, particularly because of its happy hours and gorgeous view of the Bay Bridge. So of course, I RSVP’d and made my way over for a delicious lunch to learn more about this wine.

I had never heard of Truvée Wines before, but I found that its story is pretty unforgettable. Two sisters, Robin and Andrea McBride, grew up without knowing about each other until after their father’s death. Both were born in LA, but Robin, the eldest, grew up in Monterey and Andrea was raised in her mother’s native country of New Zealand. Both developed an early appreciation for wine because of where they grew up and became business partners soon after being reunited again. Truvée means “to find” in French, and I admired the relationship these sisters had, especially as partners in a business venture, and was excited to see what their wines tasted like.

We sampled the Chardonnay first and paired it with two starters: a Mediterranean Spread and a Spiced Chicken Meatball. This wine was very refreshing, and tasted unlike other Chardonnays I’ve tried. It featured hints of citrus, pear, honeysuckle, green apple and pineapple and had a clean, crisp finish. We also paired this Chardonnay with our salad, which featured paige mandarins, avocado, grapefruit, and a lemon vinaigrette.

For my entree, I ordered the Paella and that was paired with the Truvée Red Blend. The Red Blend featured notes of blueberry, blackberry, caramel, cocoa and red cherry, creating a smooth and decadent flavor. This was my first time trying Paella, but it was something I had always been interested in trying. I loved it and it was an excellent pairing for this wine.

And of course, this lunch would not be complete without dessert! It was a very tough decision, but I picked the Almond Basque Cake, a sponge cake with blackberry compote, almond croquant and chantilly. The alternative was a Meyer Lemon Tart, strawberries on a toasted oat streusel with a strawberry sorbet, which looked equally delicious!
Between the two wines, it was hard to choose a favorite. I was glad I had the opportunity to sample the two wines and was surprised with how affordable at 15.99 a bottle considering their luxurious taste. When I initially arrived to the restaurant, I was greeted with a Sangria made with the Truvée Chardonnay and I am happy to share the recipe of it that will be perfect for your summer get-togethers!

Truvée San Francisco Sangria (Serves 12)
Mix:

1 750 ml bottle of Truvée Chardonnay6 oz. bottle Ketel One Citroen6 oz. elderflower liqueur6 oz. Stellina di Notte Prosecco

Garnish:RaspberriesPeaches