3:15 - 5:15 PM (3:00 Boarding) | Maine State Pier | Portland, Maine

This Wine Sail is part of Portland Wine Week, June 10 - 16, 2024.

Must be 21 years of age or older.

LET’S GO ON A WINE SAIL!

You're in for an incredible wine education experience as you sail through Maine’s beautiful Casco Bay with scenic views of Maine lighthouses, islands, and waterways … all while indulging in a wine class. You'll walk away knowing a lot about wine, how regional influences impact wine styles and quality, and gain confidence knowing how to evaluate, select, pair wines, and describe what you smell and taste.

Join Sommelier Erica Archer, CWP, WSET Advanced, in beautiful Portland, Maine, for a gorgeous scenic wine sail on board the 74-foot sailboat, Frances, built by her Captains and crew on Portland's waterfront, with new seats added for everyone to be seated comfortably. You'll explore a selection of five delicious quality wines from the diverse wine regions of The United State’s Pacific Northwest that you'll love to have in your repertoire.

• Taste and learn about a series of five delicious wines of the Pacific Northwest that you’ll thoroughly enjoy and love having in your repertoire. We’ll be pouring two of our favorite wines we’ve discovered lately.

• Discover classic and emerging wines, varieties, and styles in these regions.

• Discuss the major grape varieties and styles worthy of your attention

• Learn what to expect from certain terms on a wine label when selecting wine.

• Learn the basics of tasting or take your wine knowledge to the next level.

• Enjoy your delicious box of cheeses, cured meats, fruit, nuts, crackers, etc. Due to the nature of our events, we cannot accommodate food allergies, commissions, accommodations, or substitutions during these sails. You may bring your own snack if you have food allergies or hesitations.

Your Sommelier
Archer is a true oenophile, having obtained high levels of certification in her field. In 2010, she was awarded the Wine Spirit and Education Trust Level Three Advanced Certification in Wines and Spirits (with merit), became a Sommelier in the American Court of Master Sommeliers, and received her Certified Wine Professional award from the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California. Erica is the principal of Wine Wise, a wine education and events service, and is skilled at creating truly creative and memorable wine experiences that take guests beyond a typical tasting with her intimate understanding of what makes each wine unique. And she’ll do it with her trademark sense of humor.

Where do we meet?
We depart from the Maine State Pier, located at 56 Commercial Street (where Commercial Street meets Franklin Street). You’ll receive a more detailed email a few days before your event.

Cancellations, rescheduling requests, no-shows, and weather policies:
Please see our policies on the Get Ready for Your Wine Sail page or our FAQ page.

What else?

1. Please put your Wine Sail in your calendar to arrive before the boarding time. Please heed our advice and allow plenty of time to drive into Portland and find parking. It is no fun missing the boat because of late arrivals.

2. Please review our Get Ready for Your Wine Sail page.

3. Please forward our Get Ready for Your Wine Sail page to everyone attending with you so that everyone is adequately prepared and on time... or early!! 

4. We receive many of the same questions very frequently. We have taken the time to write thorough answers to frequently asked questions on our FAQ page. Please look there for immediate answers to many questions.