The Cellar: Coastal Wine Trail’s Truro Vineyards

Monday, September 03, 2012

Steffen Rasch, GoLocal Wine Critic

This summer and fall, GoLocal's wine writer Steffen Rasch is exploring Southern New England’s Coastal Wine Trail. This week he visits Truro Vineyards on Cape Cod.

This week I visited Truro Vineyards located along the scenic Route 6A near the very tip of Cape Cod. This family owned and operated vineyard and winery is unique in more ways than one. While it is expected for vineyards located in a maritime climate to have a large body of water close by, Truro is unique in that it is sandwiched between two. With Truro’s south facing vineyard located almost exactly half a mile from the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Cod Bay, cool breezes are almost constant. This is a good thing because breezes help cool down the grapes when it gets too hot and help minimize humidity, which can cause mold and mildew.

Small but mighty

The 5 acre farm on which Truro Vineyards sits dates back almost 200 years and has seen its days as a dairy farm as well as a horse farm. In 1992 the sandy soils were converted into 3 small vineyards with the first 2000 Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines planted by hand. The current owners, the Roberts family, purchased the Estate in 2007. At Truro space is very limited. With only 4 acres under vine the folks at Truro increase their production capabilities by purchasing grapes from carefully selected outside farmers.

While they make a delicious Estate Chardonnay entirely from their own grapes, the grapes that make their Sauvignon Blanc are sourced from a farmer on Long Island. In regards to their reds, they will soon be releasing an Estate Cabernet Franc and Estate Merlot while their 2010 Zinfandel, sourced from growers in Napa Valley, is drinking exceptionally well right now.

Truro's two best values

Enjoy a tasting in the Vineyard Pavilion. I did, and tasted what I think is their two best values. First, their refreshing 2011 Rose made from Merlot. At a mere $12 this wine displays delicious crushed strawberries, an undeniable pepper note and a long flavorful finish. It is great by itself, but has the body to stand up to most lightly prepared foods. I would be remiss not to mention their 2010 Cabernet Franc with its bright red fruit, earthiness and subtle herbal notes. At only $16 this is a great value as well.

Truro is currently expanding and have plans to increase their offering by making beer and a Grappa, a brandy distilled from the fermented residue of the grape skins that are leftover after winemaking. I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful Estate with its 200 year old mulberry tree (one of the oldest fruit trees in New England) in the front and its cute boutique wine shop, where you can also stock up on cute knick knacks and locally harvested produce.

For more information call 508-487-6200 or check out Truro’s website for upcoming events, which includes a Wine, Art, Appetizer and Music event on September 6th. You can even sign up to help harvest the grapes in the fall. Truro Vineyards is located at 11 Shore Rd., Rt 6A in North Truro, Massachusetts.

Enjoy!

Steffen Rasch CSW is ready to answer any wine-related questions, comments or concerns you may have. Feel free to email him at [email protected]. And as always, don’t forget to follow GoLocalProv’s Wine Cellar on Facebook and sign up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.