About Us
Truchard Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. Proprietors Tony and Jo Ann Truchard have managed a successful vineyard and grown exceptional grapes for nearly 50 years. Through their hard work and devotion to this unique property, they helped pioneer grape growing in the Carneros region of Napa. In 1989, the Truchards established a winery and began producing wines using only their estate-grown fruit.
The Truchard Family
Tony and Jo Ann Truchard both grew up in Texas and had plans to spend most of their lives there. They both graduated from the University of Texas in Austin. Jo Ann was teaching school in Austin and Tony was getting ready to start Medical School at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas when they met at a country dance in Jo Ann's hometown of La Grange, Texas. They married in 1964. After graduating from Southwestern, Tony completed his internship through the Army at Walter Reed Memorial and his residency at Brooke General Hospital in San Antonio.
Tony then received orders to report to Korea for a two year tour; however, a very pregnant Jo Ann changed all of that by slipping on a grape in the grocery store in San Antonio and breaking her knee. Four days later, sporting a full leg cast, Jo Ann delivered their fourth baby and their lives changed. Instead of Korea, the Army decided to send Tony to Northern California to serve as the medical commander for a base near the Nevada border.
During Tony's tour in California the Truchard family took a number of road trips. On one such trip, after checking in at the Presidio in San Francisco, the family drove up to the Napa Valley to see the vineyards. Tony thought it would be "fun" to buy some Napa property and plant a vineyard. During the next two decades, Tony continued to buy property until he had 400 adjoining acres. At the same time, their family grew to include 4 daughters and 2 sons.
Anthony Truchard II serves as the General Manager for Truchard Vineyards. In this role, he is responsible for leading the expansion of Truchard Vineyards into several markets, both nationwide and internationally. By developing new ideas while maintaining a strong connection with the vineyard team and cellar crew, Anthony successfully manages all aspects of the family business.
Anthony grew up running between vines and climbing on tractors. As early as the age of 12, he began working among the vines by helping his father with virtually every element of the vineyard – learning which rootstock to select, planting vines, and irrigation to name a few. In the winery, he racked barrels, punched down wine, and learned the art of blending. Through these hands-on experiences, Anthony learned to appreciate every aspect of winemaking and honed his palate.
His studies took him to Southern California, where he graduated with degrees in Philosophy and Biology from the University of California Santa Barbara. As a university student, he further developed his wine knowledge by working and managing local boutique wine shops and restaurants. These experiences – the interactions with wine lovers in different settings – were his initial lessons in sales and marketing. They helped him gain an ability to appreciate and discern what a customer seeks when selecting a wine, either off a shelf or from a wine list.
Subsequently, Anthony decided to pursue his interest in the law. He graduated from Cardozo School of Law in New York City and practiced intellectual property law for several years before returning to Napa at his parents’ request.
Today, alongside his parents, Anthony works incessantly and passionately to maintain the integrity of his family’s wines and loves sharing them with the world.
Winemaker
Sal De Ianni serves as Winemaker for Truchard Vineyards. Originally from a suburb of Milwaukee, Sal entered the wine industry through a strange twist of fate: while completing his graduate degree in Analytical Chemistry at Northwestern University, he decided to enroll in wine appreciation classes in order to break away from the complexities of chemistry. Six months later, the wine courses ended up being more compelling, and ultimately he decided to pursue a job in the wine industry.
After completing his M.S. in Enology at the University of California Davis, Sal realized that his foundation in chemistry, coupled with his passion for winemaking, would enable him to produce wines of exceptional quality.
He responded to an advertisement in the Napa Valley Register posted by Tony and Jo Ann seeking a winemaker, and has been with the Truchard family ever since.
Over the years, Sal has developed a thorough understanding of the unique terroir of the Carneros appellation and allows the vineyard to speak through the wines he makes. His keen instinct and in-depth knowledge of the vineyard and cellar enable him to show the distinct qualities of the estate. He works closely with the Truchard family to develop exceptional wines year after year.
Team
Since Linda Carr joined Truchard Vineyards in 1998, she has played a key role in ensuring that Truchard Vineyards runs smoothly and knows that a small family owned winery must be operated on a personal level. Over the years she has handled a variety of responsibilities, from tours and tastings to managing events at the winery. Today, she serves as the office manager at the winery and handles the winery's accounting and orders by working closely with Truchard's brokers and distributors in the marketplace.
Born and raised on a remote cattle ranch in Day, a scenic small town in Northern California, Linda was whisked away by her husband to Napa, California, over thirty years ago. As she learned to love her new home, her passion for wine and the wine industry grew each day, and ultimately she accepted the opportunity to work with the Truchards. She is the embodiment of warmth and dedication that shows in everything she does at Truchard.
