I seem to be on a fruit wine kick at the moment. Of course, that may helped by the fact that it was New Year's Eve and I didn't have any other champagne in the cellar! My wife and I enjoyed this wine over a meal of Shrimp & Vegetables Stir-fry and home-made egg rolls while awaiting the beginning of 2008.Blacksmiths Sparkling Maine Cranberry
www.blacksmithswinery.com
MSRP: $15
A blend of 75% cranberry & 25% Vidal Blanc
9.5% Alcohol by volume
Color: Light orange-pink
Aroma: Initial burst of cranberries and citrus with a floral finish
Taste: Sweet cranberry with a nice medium body and lingering finish. Nice balance of acid and sugar for a nice sippin' bubbly. Not overly effervescent.
Due to current Maine law, Blacksmiths is unable to sell or ship outside of Maine. However, their wines can be purchased at the winery and a number of retail shops and restaurants around the state. I purchased this wine at Big Jack's in Boothbay Harbor, ME for $16.99.
In the fall of 2006, my wife and I visited Blacksmiths Winery in South Casco during an anniversary trip to Maine & New Hampshire. I'm not going to try to remember all the details, but they make a variety of wines from local Maine fruit and grapes from New York and Washington state. I particularly liked their Columbia Valley Lemberger, but I drank that bottle a long time ago! Now that we're living in New England, we'll have to make a trip back to Blacksmiths for another visit.
Salute!
A Wine Student
