How to be TRUly classy

“Sometimes you’ve just gotta be a little classy,” my mother would tell me, feet up on the coffee table, a sparkling glass of Sunset Blush Franzia in hand, fresh from the box. She has always been a truly cultured woman.

But, like her, holding a full glass of chardonnay and taking semi-frequent sips has always made me feel — how do you say — tres chic!

I think breaking away from the mundane bar with your go-to watered down beers and overly sugared gin cocktails has a refreshing feel to it. So that is why I decided to write about a local favorite of mine, TRU Deli Wine Bar.

Located at 114 Henderson St., this medium-sized indoor and outdoor wine bar offers a large selection of both white and red wines from around the world. Customers can expect prices between $4 and $12 per glass, and those of you looking to end the weekend extra tipsy can get half-priced glasses on Sunday.

Like my mother, I have limited experience in wine tasting; however, I always thought my half-Italian blood gave me an innate ability to at least acknowledge a decent wine whenever I come across one.

From what I tasted, I would first recommend the Belstar Italian prosecco. It was a very crisp white wine, not too dry and had a subtle pear flavor to it. When it comes to white wine, I usually go straight for chardonnay while out with friends or family. Unfortunately, I was not overly impressed with TRU’s Vallevo Italian chardonnay. The taste was watery and left me daydreaming about my usual Trader Joe’s bargain choice.

My favorite red was the Biga Spanish rioja. The slight oaky flavor and sweet aftertaste were outstanding — and for those of you who are lightweights, watch out, it’s kinda strong.

But what’s a good wine worth if it isn’t paired with some great food? Along with their extensive wine, beer and liquor selections, TRU also offers several cheeses, olives and a sandwich menu.

Despite being lactose intolerant, I couldn’t stop eating the St. Clemens havarti chive cheese — it was absolutely amazing and each bite was totally worth the risk of potentially collapsing my digestive system.

TRU naturally markets itself as a more mature and upscale choice when compared to other bars in Chapel Hill. Their wooden tabletops and sophisticated decor are matched with a more indie contemporary music playlist. The bar’s appearance as a whole is well-kept, clean and welcoming to customers.

With that being said, I’ve always been slightly disappointed with TRU’s bar staff. To me, determining how effective a bar is at attracting customers is largely dependent on their staff and their staff’s ability to engage customers.

In my experience, some of TRU’s bar staff have come off as bored or apathetic toward their work. I’m not looking for a “Welcome to Moe’s!!!” kind of experience; but as a customer, I enjoy talking and interacting with my bartender and feeling welcome at their establishment.

But for those of you looking to abandon your sweatpants and feel kinda klassy, hop over to TRU Deli Wine Bar. tonight and start sipping.