I already knew that people in Maine grew grapes, and I knew that there were folks making wine as well– but I didn’t know that anyone was making wine from their own Maine-grown grapes. On October 7th, I visited Savage Oakes Vineyard and Winery in Union Maine with a group from Slow Food Portland. And now I know it is true.

Elmer and Holly Savage started work on their vineyard in 2000, after looking for a way to support their life on the family farm. They had 15 acres of blueberries, as well as naturally raised beef and pork, but couldn’t afford to leave their jobs and farm full-time. And the farm couldn’t afford not to have a full-time caretaker. So they made a gamble and invested in a vineyard and wine production equipment, and so far, it seems to be paying off.

When we arrived, we met Lettuce, and Elmer gave us some of the background of the farm and its operations. Then we went into the winery. Here there were several vats of fermenting crushed grapes, still with their skins and seeds. We watched Elmer stir down the “cap” of skins and pulp in one vat that was fairly well along. The red wines ferment with the skins and seeds for 7-14 days.

Then we walked to the vineyard, which takes up about 4-5 acres of the 95 acre farm. There we indulged in a really tasty picnic (that is one benefit of hanging out with all these Slow Food folks- very very yummy food). And we tasted grapes and chatted more with Elmer and Holly.

After indulging in our lunch and some wine . . . I walked around the field, where we discovered the solar panels which power the irrigation for the vineyard. We tasted a few different grapes as well. They grow 9 different grape varieties, almost all of which are hybrids of the European “vinifera” grapes and “American” grapes like Niagara and Concord.

To buy Savage Oakes wine, you really have to visit their farm stand (one of their business strategies was to cut out the middle-man and sell direct to consumers as much as possible). But, if Leslie from Aurora is successful, you might be able to pick some up in Portland before long.