By: Nyasha Chikowore

The Manor DC in DuPont Circle (1327 Connecticut Ave NW 20036) provided a classy backdrop for the debut of sisters Robin and Andréa McBride’s wine Truvée. Being the first African American women to own a wine company is definitely an accomplishment but it seems their sisterly bond has been their biggest triumph thus far.

The sisters didn’t actually meet each other until Andréa was 16, residing in New Zealand, and Robin was 25, in Monterey, California. They share the same father, and it was his wish for them to find each other and connect, hence the company’s name Truvée – a play on the French verb ‘to find’.

Both sisters coincidentally grew up around vineyards, with Andréa even assisting her uncle with grape farming in her mother’s native home of New Zealand. When asked when she discovered her love for wine Andréa said, “It wasn’t actually until I met my sister… when we met each other, that’s when we both coincidentally fell in love with wine because [during visits] we’d end up at tastings, so somehow wine was always in the mix and started to bring up this dream for us.”

Their venture is comprised of a lightly oaked Chardonnay and a Grenache & Syrah based Red Blend. Using grapes sourced from Central Coast California vineyards, the McBride sisters pride themselves on bringing affordable luxury to the wine racks of consumers.

At their D.C. debut, guests were given the opportunity to taste the wines individually as well as in spritzers and sangrias. “The Chardonnay has fruit flavors and is not your typical California oaky Chardonnay.  It’s actually the opposite. If you like a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon, then you’ll appreciate it,” Andréa explained.

The wines were flavorful; the Chardonnay was quite tropical as mentioned by its founder and the Red Blend had a velvety texture with notes of berry and caramel. The wines are also designed to be paired with foods, I discovered, during my conversation with Andréa. She suggests having the Chardonnay with seafood, especially sushi and pairing the Red Blend with ribs, lamb and red meats.

If you’re interested in supporting the sisters’ history-making business or simply sampling the wine, it’s already on shelves at various D.C. venues ranging from Bar7 to the Kennedy Center.

For more information please visit Truveewines.com.

Photo Credit: The Manor DC