Must be 21 years of age or older.
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. You'll explore some incredibly delicious wines from France's renown Loire Valley that you'll love to have in your repertoire. 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 with knowing a lot about wine, how regional influences impact wine styles and quality, gain confidence knowing how evaluate, select and pair wines and describe what you smell and taste.
Taste and learn about delicious wines from one of France's most adored wine regions, the Loire Valley.
Find out what makes the Loire and its sub-regions unique in their styles of wine.
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 a selection of delicious cheeses, fruit, and nuts.
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 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 $10.00 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?
We love our customers.
Receive $5 off your next ticket for every new person you refer to Wine Wise. The discount is applied on to your next ticket after they have attended.
Attend five Wine & Food Walks and Wine Sails and your sixth one is free.