Must be 21 years of age or older.
This event takes place during Portland Wine Week, June 14-20, 2021.
LET’S GO ON A WINE SAIL!
Join with acclaimed pastry Chef/Co-Owner Ilma Lopez of Chaval restaurant here in Portland, and Sommelier Erica Archer, for a scenic and delicious Brunch & Wine Sail featuring five wines and paired brunch courses. You're in for an incredible wine and food experience as you sail through Maine’s beautiful Casco Bay with scenic views of Maine lighthouses, islands, and waterways .. all while indulging in incredible wine and food pairings. You'll walk away with knowing a lot about wine, how regional influences impact wine styles and quality, gain confidence knowing how to evaluate, select and pair wines, and describe what you smell and taste. And no doubt you will taste and learn a lot about the incredible food that Chef Lopez has made for you.
Taste and learn about five delicious wines that you'll love to have in your repertoire each paired with incredible food from Chef Lopez, five wines, and food pairings in all.
Find out what makes each region unique in their styles of wine they produce
Learn about the fresh Maine produce that Chef Lopez uses in each of her dishes
Discuss the major grape varieties and regions up-and-coming contenders worthy of your attention
Learn what to expect from certain terms on a wine label when selecting your next bottle of wine
Learn the basics of tasting or take your wine knowledge to the next level
The menu will be available close to the date of the event as Chef takes her inspiration from only the freshest local ingredients. Due to the nature of this event, we regret that we cannot accommodate food substitutions.
Your Chef
Chef Ilma Lopez has worked in some of the most demanding and rewarding kitchens in the industry, such as DB Bistro, Corton, Tailor, El Bulli, Café Boulud, and Le Bernardin. When she left New York City to the quieter reaches of Maine, Lopez found a new terrain she couldn’t resist. Arriving with a mastery of colors, flavors, textures, and spices—and a seasoned ability to work under pressure—Lopez makes classic dishes her own, with attention to micro-detail and thoughtful twists. For her work, Lopez earned a 2014 StarChefs Coastal New England Rising Star Pastry Chef Award, has been a twice a semi-finalist James Beard “Best Pastry Chef” (national), and you may have seen her name in an issue of Bon Appetit Magazine highlighting her incredible talents when naming Portland, Maine as their pick for ‘Restaurant City of The Year’.
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 and down-to-earth style.
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. Please refer to our FAQ page for answers to questions that you may be wondering about.
CANCELLATIONS/RESCHEDULES/NO SHOWS
Because of our size, cancellations affect us significantly. If we are able to re-sell your tickets we can refund your ticket price minus the $20.00 credit card transactions we have to pay OR reschedule you to a different date that has availability (there is no credit card transaction fee in this case). You are always welcome to send a friend or family member in your place or sell your own tickets. Just make sure we have the ticket holder's email address so we can send them the event notifications, so they are aware of where to find us and any day-of weather-related notifications. There are no refunds or reschedules for no-shows or if we are not able to resell your tickets. Makes sense, right?