The Heathcote Wine Club – For Heathcote Wine Fans

Loyal fans and customers have long been waiting for this moment – The formation of a club that combines all things Heathcote Wines. With over 100 wineries spread out in the region, it’s not always easy for wine lovers, especially the ones who live in Melbourne, to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in Heathcote and to get their hands on the special wines before they are gone. Part of the problem is that the success and quality of Heathcote wines is built on individual wine making on a smaller scale, which inevitably brings with it limited production. Small boutique wineries also mean irregular open cellar doors. That’s why for many years loyal Heathcote Wine lovers often had difficulties getting hold of the good stuff before it was gone.
 
A creative solution has now been put together. The newly founded Heathcote Wine Club works with all the wine makers in the region and is designed specifically to reward loyal Heathcote fans and provide them with all the privileges that come only with membership.  Some of the highlights include member only special tastings with Heathcote winemakers, invites to wine blending sessions, working winery tours, access to a member only Wine Hotline, and invites to member only educational classes including food matching and lots of other free stuff.

The Heathcote Wine Club is very different to most other clubs.  Supported and run by the Wine Hub, the club represents all the winemakers of the region. It’s mission? To provide a single point of access to all the great aspects of the Heathcote wine region. The Wine Hub specialists know most of Heathcote’s winemakers personally and will generously share with you valuable tips and insider information on Heathcote.

So what does membership include?

This club is much more than just being able to get your hands on great wine. The Heathcote Wine Club has really gone out of its way to come up with a program that is different, and includes a lot of innovative and fun educational experiences and events. There are 2 levels of membership: Discovery Members and Privilege Members, which are both free to join.

As the name suggests, the Discovery Plan is the introductory membership for people that love Heathcote wine, want to know more about it and would like easy access to information and some of the pre-release member only deals.

Discovery Membership entails:

- Member discounts on all wine purchases (10% for doz, 5% for ½ doz)
- VIP invite at the Heathcote Wine Club’s wine experience sessions in Heathcote and Melbourne, including themed tasting evenings with winemakers, new release tastings and educational tasting events

- VIP Invite to “Be a winemaker for a day” blending session
- Priority invite to wine maker dinners in Melbourne
- Access to the Heathcote Wine Club member’s only Wine Hotline, where all your wine related questions (cellaring, food matching, vintage info) will be answered
- Regular newsletter with the latest news of the region, including new wine releases, awards and other interesting highlights

In addition to the advantages of the Discovery Membership, as a Privilege Member you will also receive:
- a case of twelve notable wines delivered to your door, 4 times a year.  This wine is offered at a member only price of 15% below retail.  A panel of Heathcote winemakers and the Heathcote Wine Hub sommeliers carefully select the wines.  To make sure you receive your favourite gems, you also have the opportunity to change the selected wines prior to delivery, and there’s a 100% money back guarantee on the wines.

- In depth tasting notes on all wines selected by the tasting panel for inclusion in the wine packs.
- Member discounts on any purchases above the wine Plan (15% for doz, 10% for ½ doz)
- VIP invite and complimentary entrance to the Heathcote Wine Club’s wine experience sessions in Heathcote and Melbourne, including themed tasting evenings with winemakers, new release tastings and educational tasting events

- VIP Invite and complimentary to “Be a winemaker for a day” blending session
- Free copy of the book “The People Behind the Wines of Heathcote”
- Free working winery tours (during vintage) for you and friends

There are also a number of Privilege member only special offers that will evolve further over time. At present they include

o Member only discount of 30% off non-Heathcote wine on www.MyHomeCellar.com.au.
o Permission to BYO wine bought at the Heathcote Wine Hub to Heathcote’s No.1 restaurant – the Willow Room
o 10% discount on any purchases (wine produce, food accessories) made at the Heathcote Wine Hub.
- Discounts of 20% on any Plumm Chrystal Glassware and decanters
- Free copies of James Halliday’s Wine Companion Magazine included in wine plan deliveries
- Pre-release notification/allocation of limited release premium wines
- $25 gift voucher for in store product purchases.

From the enthusiasm and energy of the winemakers and staff at the Hub, I can sense that the club is going to continually evolve, driven by their understanding of the wines and people of the region and their passion to share it with others in a fun and educational way.  If you like Heathcote then you need to be part of the Heathcote Wine Club.

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Heathcote Wine Tasting – Savour award-winning wines and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere

Heathcote is drawing more and more attention as a wine region and creating excitement in the industry regarding the quality of wine it’s now producing.  So, you want to learn more about the Heathcote region and taste some great Heathcote wines?  A great idea and we can already promise you now, that you will be in for a treat.  So the next question - what’s the best way to taste and explore the various wines and varieties of the region?   We have a few tips to help you find what you’re after.

You can either visit the region, or keep your ear to the ground and be in the right place when the region comes to visit you!  Let’s take a look at both options.

In Melbourne
In the past, the opportunity to taste great Heathcote wines has been limited.  Federation Square used to have a Heathcote regional wine tasting event, but that is not being continued.  The odd winery has small tastings of a handful of wines, but usually by invitation. 

But it’s now going to get easier, with the upcoming launch of the Heathcote Wine Club, which will be hosting a series of events for the public and its club members in Melbourne, including meet the winemaker tasting events, themed wine tasting events such as cheese and wine, blending your own wine, new varieties of the region, etc.  Keep your eyes out, it promises to be fun and different. 

Visiting the Region

Unwind from the hustle and bustle of the city, enjoy our warm hospitality and take advantage of as few or as many Heathcote Wine Tastings as you can squeeze in a weekend or even a day trip. Keep in mind that there are over 70 wineries in the region to choose from, but only around 15 to 20 are open on any given weekend and about half that on a weekday. 

If you want to get a truly good overview, you need to allot your time wisely to make the most of your Heathcote Wine Tasting experience.  After all, a Heathcote Wine tasting is supposed to be a relaxing affair to indulge and to enjoy. 

During your planning, just keep in mind that most of your Heathcote Wine Tasting will take place in boutique wineries with limited opening hours, and that while some wineries have established cellar doors, most in the region don’t.  If you want to go straight to the source to see where your favourite bottle is made and meet the people who work so hard and with so much passion, then it pays to call ahead and make an appointment.

On the other hand, to taste a wide variety and to discover Heathcote’s true gems from all over the region, there’s no need to spend most of the day driving up and down the country-side.

If you are wanting a guided tasting tour of the region under the one roof, independent expert advice on the wines or wineries, or a place to compare and buy mixed wines and varieties of the region all in one place, then the Heathcote Wine Hub is the perfect place for you.

Located in the centre of town, it’s not only the largest cellar door in Heathcote, but it also offers one of the most impressive Heathcote wine tastings – every day of the week.  There are 24 wines on taste every day and a range of about 200 wines from most of the producers throughout the region.  If you are looking for diversity and a way to see at one glance what the region has to offer, then here is the right place, with over 20 different varieties from the region. 

Not only will you be able to taste great wines, but you’ll hear all about the winemakers and the individual styles of wine they produce. You will find out which vintages were good for which wines, be told about the different soil types in Heathcote and see - or better yet taste - the distinction between the north and south wines of the region. On a first name basis with pretty much all winemakers in the region, the people at the wine hub have the insight and behind the scenes knowledge to guide you through the best the region has to offer.

You can also sit back with a tasting platter or vignerons board made from some of the finest local produce, by the open fire or outside in the lovely rear courtyard.  Also a provedore and café, you can get heaps of local produce – cheeses, cured meats, olives, olive oils, chutneys, etc, and some of the best coffee in town.

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