Did you know…Truckee has a Winery?
Posted on December 16, 2009
Filed Under Made by Tahoe
You may have seen the little red barn along the river.
It’s the Truckee River Winery where they’ve been making wine since 1989.
It’s also the highest and coldest winery in the West. The Truckee River Winery specializes in Pinot Noirs, Merlots and Zinfandels.
While they plan on having their very own vineyard in Truckee by next year, currently they get their grapes from some of the best appellations in Northern California. Their pisoni clone vines for their Pinots come from Garys’ Vineyard located in Monterey County, Zinfandel comes from the Gribaudo Vineyard in Lodi, and Bear River Vineyard in Chicago Park near Colfax, is their source for Merlot. After the grapes arrive, the wines are handcrafted by Russ Jones in Truckee.
You may wonder…is being the highest and coldest good for making wine?
According to Winemaker Russ Jones the prefermentation cold soak and naturally cool fermentation tends to showcase the exceptional fruit of the pisoni clone. The wine ages longer in the barrels because of the much cooler temperatures and higher elevation for the young fruity flavors to taper off and let the more mature flavors show through. Russ says it results in a very well balanced and smooth wine with excellent mid pallet flavors and the ever present “pisoni backbone”.
We suggest you buy a bottle and try it yourself.
Truckee River Winery makes limited quantities of fine wines including Nevada County Merlot, Lodi Zinfandel and Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir and a small amount of white wine.
Unlike Napa and Sonoma wineries that charge for wine tasting, you can get a free taste and a free 30 second tour of this mountain winery. (The barn isn’t that big.)
The winery is located at 10061 South River Street in downtown Truckee and open by appointment.
You can find the wines at The Pour House, Pipers Patiserie, Florians Fine Wines in Truckee, Time for Wine in Tahoe City and The Napa Valley Winery Exchange in San Francisco.
To order wine or to set an appointment for a 30 second tour, call 530-587-4626 or send an email to russ@truckeeriverwinery.com.
