The Truro Vineyards Wine Club

As much as we all love to support our local brick and mortar retail shops, let’s face it, staying off of Amazon is pretty hard to do. In just the last month I ordered an obscure Cheap Trick album on vinyl, a brass sextant, an avocado hot sauce that I can never find in the stores, and ice cream spoons that look like tiny shovels. The album was simply because, well, it’s just a cool band, the hot sauce is my morning hard boiled egg go-to, the shovel ice cream spoons were for a friend who recently dug a 100′ long ditch in the summer heat (I hand delivered the ice cream) and the sextant? I just have a weird obsession with sextants–although I have no idea how to use one–in fact I don’t even own a boat. But my online purchases all have one thing in common. I bought them because I love getting packages in the mail. If you do too (and who doesn’t?), then this blog installment is for you.

Three Bottle Club or Six Bottle Club:  Membership Definitely Has Its Privileges

If you live in the area, a membership to the Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod Wine Club is a great reason to take a quick trip to Truro. Not only can you pick up your club wine in person (each selection specially chosen by the Roberts family), but while you’re in the neighborhood why not stop in for a wine tasting for two? Its free to wine club members any time you walk in. If you don’t live in the area, Truro Vineyards Wine Club delivers wine right to your door four times a year, and provides members with the same free tastings when you’re in the vicinity. Various discounts and exclusive early access to their limited release wines are also club bonuses, and, just like everyone enjoys getting packages in the mail, everyone likes to feel special. The vineyard has an exclusive “members only” lounge area for its club members, so if sitting and sipping in an exclusive area overlooking the vines doesn’t make you feel like a rock star, you might want to consider getting a new shrink.

With the Three Bottle Club you’re delivered three bottles of wine four times a year (according to my crack accounting department that’s roughly 12 bottles, or one mixed case of wine). The Six Bottle Club receives six bottles of wine delivered four times a year, totaling 24 bottles, or two mixed cases (thanks team). In addition to sipping luscious wines, free tastings and a little exclusivity, wine club members receive 20% discounts on all wine and merchandise purchased both at the vineyard, as well as their online store.

 

Wine Club Manager Heidi Townsend (Just May Have the Best Job in New England)

 

The Wine Club is managed by Truro resident Heidi Townsend, who has been with the winery since 2016. When I asked Heidi about how she got such a sweet gig, it seemed it was the only thing she hadn’t done yet. Heidi jumped in during her first year, hosting wine tastings, running the register, making drinks in The Hollow drink truck, and basically being the wineries “Girl Friday”. These days her life is all about the Wine Club. “I make sure all the members are happy,” Heidi tells me, “If there are any issues with the wine, deliveries, billing or pickups, I’ll take care of it. I’m sort of like the cruise director for the members.” But Heidi also has a hand in keeping the club thriving and takes on the duties of growing the wine club through advertising, and by always trying to reinvent or create more wine club loyalty benefits. One of the many benefits are “pickup parties”. “Guests who pick up their club wine can come pretty much any time once its ready, but we’ll designate a time just after closing for a private party for the members,” Heidi explains. “If they want to come during that time frame we’ll have free wine and hors d’oeuvres. It’s a lot of fun and we get a big crowd. It’s a way to keep the membership social, like a big family picnic.” Keeping things “in the family” is something Truro Vineyards has done on many levels. Not only do employees like Heidi feel like members of the Roberts family, but the Roberts encourage that family feeling to be spread across their vineyard. In fact, on Sundays you’ll often see Heidi’s husband Chris helping out behind the raw bar, her step daughter Caroline greeting diners and her other step daughter Caitlin filling in where Heidi left off–serving, or bartending, or wherever she’s needed.

Wine Club Food Advisor Judy Aguera

(OK, SHE Might Have the Best Job in New England)

What I love most about getting wine in the mail is that you’re receiving an experience. With each delivery comes  tasting notes from the wine makers, and precisely prepared pairing recipes provided by the vineyard’s food advisor, Judy Aguera. Also chiming in might be guest chefs from area restaurants with their pairing ideas delivered right to your door. So it may not just be delicious wine knocking on your door, it could very well be a night to remember!

Judy Aguera comes from a long line of great Spanish, Cuban and Sicilian cooks so her interest in food and cooking was set in motion probably longer than she can remember. Judy was one of seven other chefs with a gourmet catering company before deciding to leave catering and open her own business producing a fresh salsa without any preservatives or chemicals (this was when fresh salsas on gourmet store shelves was virtually unheard of).  Judy sold her salsa exclusively to small gourmet shops in New England, New York City and Cape Cod.  Her business was successful for several years but her “biggest fan” was now Truro Vineyards founder, Dave Roberts.  “I continued with my interest in the culinary world while traveling extensively in the US, but more so in Europe,” Judy explains. “I was exposed to the wine and spirits industry starting in the late 60’s having my husband spend his whole career in that industry.  Through him and with our travels I learned a lot about wines.” She has now known the Roberts family now for over 50 years, and Dave and Kathy Roberts gained a deep respect for Judy’s knowledge of all things food related. “It was this research that I think appealed to both Dave and Kathy to ask me to join their advisory board for Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod.  In those early days, Kathy and I did lots of research into what would probably appeal to their audience in the wine shop as it pertained to snacks, cheeses, sausages, the latest developments toward olive oils, vinegars, sauces and all other food-related items.  I am delighted to be a member of the board and was especially pleased to provide wine pairings with recipes I’d developed as their culinary advisor.” (Note: Stay tuned for a special blog which will include several of Judy’s favorite recipes and Truro wine pairings!)

So, the next time you feel like doing something nice for yourself (like mailing yourself a nautical instrument that you have no idea how to work) really give yourself a treat! There’s nothing wrong about deciding “frozen lasagna from the local market tonight”, but when a box of wine drops on your door step–complete with tasting notes and paired recipes that are guaranteed to kick up the inspiration to call some friends and get the party started? Well, there’s everything right about that.

 

~ Tommy Dott is an innkeeper, restaurateur and award-winning food writer. He, his partner Ali, and their two Yorkies, “Jiminy Cricket” and “B.G.” live on Cape Cod.