Truro Vineyards

         Truro vineyards is a small winery on Cape Cod with some great local wines. I tried them recently, when I went with a group on opening weekend to take advantage of the complimentary wine tasting (a special for just that weekend). The tasting included five of ten wines, and we were encouraged to pair up so we could try all ten. The wines were mostly standard, lower cost, but they ran out of the basic Cabernet Franc (probably a $15-$20 bottle) and substituted a bottle of the limited edition estate Cabernet Franc (a $35 bottle), which is typically only available to wine club members. This was by far the best wine we tasted, and not being able to pass up the chance at something so exclusive, I bought a bottle.

          Cabernet Franc is a black grape, often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to produce Bordeaux (or Bordeaux or styles of wine). On its own, it’s lighter and more similar to a Pinot noir. It generally pairs well with lighter meats and seafood dishes, and has flavors of pepper, tobacco, and berries. This particular bottle had stronger notes of strawberry and raspberry.

          Of the ten wines I sampled, the Cabernet Franc was my favorite but I also really liked the Vignoles, Cape Blush, and Triumph Red. The Vignoles reminded me of a semi-dry Riesling, light, crisp, and refreshing with just a hint of sweetness. The Cape Blush was a rose, made from a blend of Cayuga and Cabernet Franc. It was light and fruity, and I could really taste the strawberries from the Cabernet Franc. The Triumph was a Bordeaux-style wine, a bold red with lots of tannins and oak. These four were the wines that really stood out during the tasting, although there was not one that I tried and didn’t enjoy.