Plans for the inaugural Portland Wine Week (website, facebook, instagram, twitter) have been released. The new week-long summer festival will take place June 18 – 24 at various venues across the city.

Crafted as a boutique experience for wine enthusiasts of all types—from the casual wine lover to the serious oenophile—this week of world class wine, learning experiences, and award-winning food will launch you into summer with style. Activities will include pairing and performance events, incredible wine dinners, tastings, educational classes and seminars, special menus, a passport tour of dozens of local restaurants and their wine lists; and other happenings that feature wine, food, art, and fun.

Nearly 20 events are already on the schedule with more are being added as plans are worked out. They include:

• Six wine dinners:
  • A Night of Rosé at Sur Lie
  • A Southern Italian white wine and seafood pairing at Scales
  • An evening of natural wines at Piccolo
  • A tour of Burgundy at Lolita
  • A focus on the new release and library wines of Channing Daughters at Hugo’s
  • An exploration of Spanish wines at Chaval
• A meet and greet with Austrian wine expert Klaus Wittier at Central Provisions
• A pasta making and wine pairing class at Solo Italiano
• A champagne brunch at Lolita
• A wine pairing lunch with Bangs Island Mussels at Scales
• An historical wine list exhibition and talk from Don Lindgren of Rabelais Books
• Three wine sails in Casco Bay with presenting sponsor Wine Wise featuring oysters, emerging wines and Italian cooking, as well as a Mediterranean wine walk.

Portland Wine Week will wrap up with a Cabernet Cabaret Gala in collaboration with Circus Maine and food from five acclaimed female chefs (including recent Beard award semifinalists Ilma Lopez and Krista Kern Desjarlais). Proceeds from the gala will benefit Portland’s Preble Street Teen Center.

Follow PWW on your favorite social media platform to stay informed as the event program continues to grow: facebook, instagram, twitter.

Get Involved – If you’re interested in becoming a Portland Wine Week vendor or sponsor contact info@portlandwineweek.me.

Portland Food Map is proud to be a sponsor of Portland Wine Week.

A new exhibit called Maine Eats is set to open at the Maine Historical Society on Friday March 2nd.

From iconic lobsters, blueberries, potatoes, apples, and maple syrup, to local favorites like poutine, baked beans, red hot dogs, Italian sandwiches, and Whoopie Pies, Maine’s identity and economy are inextricably linked to food. Now, a food revolution is taking us back to our roots toward the traditional sources, preparation, and pleasures of eating food that have sustained Mainers for millennia.

Using historical and contemporary stories of individual people and communities, Maine Eats: The Food Revolution Starts Here, tells the Maine food story. Throughout the interactive exhibition, visitors are invited to engage their senses and to think deeply about the past, present and future of Maine’s relationship with food.

James Beard award-winning author and the ‘godmother’ of the natural wine world, Alice Feiring, will be at Maine & Loire on March 2nd 5:30pm for a reading/signing of her new book The Dirty Guide to Wine.

We are thrilled to announce that journalist and book author Alice Feiring will be here next month to read from and sign copies of her latest book, The Dirty Guide to Wine. An award-winning writer for magazines and newspapers, such as the New York Times, Alice was the sole voice in natural wine writing for almost a decade, and is called everything from “The Patty Smith” to the “Godmother” of the natural wine world. The Feiring Line, her indispensable blog-turned-newsletter is as much a lightning rod of inspiration as it is a valuable resource. Alice is also the author of the books Battle for Wine and Love, Living with Wine, Naked Wine and For the Love of Wine.

As part of the event Maine & Loire will also be pouring several Muscadets from Domaine de l’Ecu, imported by Paul Chartrand.

Tuesday – Italian winemaker Marco Sara and importer Matt Mollo will be at Maine & Loire for a wine tasting.

Wednesday – Solo Italiano is holding a wine dinner with Italian winemaker Marco Sara, there will be wine tastings at Little Giant and the Old Port Wine Merchants.

Thursday – Amanda Beal from the Maine Farmland Trust will be giving a talk at Saint Joseph’s College entitled Envisioning and Building a Vibrant Food System in Maine and Beyond, there will be a spirits tasting at Bow Street Beverage, and a wine dinner at Petite Jacqueline.

Friday – Black Tie is holding a Graze dinner in Yarmouth, and there will be a wine tasting at the Rosemont on Brighton.

Saturday – Nikaline Iacono will be holding a Vessel & Vine cocktail pop-up at The Bearded Lady, Maine Craft Distilling is releasing their Whipple Tree Apple Brandy, Allagash is screening the movie Fish People, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – Zen Chinese Bistro is holding a Chinese New Year dinner.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.