With the rolling green hills of mid-coast Maine as its backdrop, the setting of Cellardoor Winery looks like it belongs to Virginia’s popular Piedmont region. Don’t be mistaken though, this winery is 100% Maine and very proud of it. Owner Bettina Doulton purchased the property in 2007 and transformed a 1790s farmhouse into the winery and tasting room with a rustic luxe touch in order to keep the character of the original building. Maine’s rocky soil and harsh winters have not usually been kind to grape vines in the past but with ingenuity, a classic New England work ethic, and I suspect a dash of Maine stubbornness (coming from a long line of Mainers myself I can say that) the winery had a successful harvest in 2012 that will be used in making future vintages.
Of course in order to thoroughly review this winery I had to sample some of their offerings, so I bellied up to the wine barrel bar to peruse their selections.With over 30 offering on pour it was hard to narrow down my tasting selections so I went with a mix of personal favorites and regional specialties.Visiting Maine in the summer there was definitely going to be some lobster in our near future and a bright, citrusy white was in order. I found this in a glass of Perfect Stranger, an easy drinking cayuga varietal perfect for sipping on a summer afternoon.
I’m a Cabernet girl at heart so I was immediately drawn to the Prince Valiant, a blend of Cabernets Savignon and franc and with some Merlot and malbec added in for good measure. This is truly a prince among the estate’s wines. Whatever you’re looking for in a red wine you’ll find here; a bold, fruity start, a little tannic(but not too much) and a spicy finish that will leave you thinking about your next sip. Oh, and a hint of blackberry too. Because all good reds have a hint of blackberry, don’t you think?
The standout of the day for me was their C’est de l’Or, a port style maple syrup infused brandy. Maple syrup. Brandy. Need I say more?
Now if you know what you like you can buy a glass and a cheese plate then head out to the deck and enjoy one of the prettiest vineyard views on the East Coast. Situated a few miles from Maine’s famous rocky coastline and the postcard worthy town of Camden, the pastoral hills dotted with lakes and ponds that Cellardoor Winery calls home may be one of the most scenic places I’ve had the pleasure of savoring a sip. After my tasting I enjoyed meandering through the vineyards contemplating where to find the best lobster roll. With views like this its easy to see why owner Bettina Doulton left behind the rat race of life as a financial analyst in Boston for something this idyllic.
Ready to sample the fruits of Cellardoor Winery yourself? Be sure to checkout their website for directions, hours and a list of events.
Website
Adrian of Adrian's Travel Tales says
I would of never put Maine and wine together but from your pictures and descriptions, it looks like a match made in heaven! I’m a Cab girl too, so the Prince Valiant seems like it would be my 1st go to wine to try. Thanks for the awesome post!
Brianna says
Maine pleasantly surprised me, there’s a lot of good food(and drink) going on!
Sarah @ Wine Clubs says
The wine from Maine is so different than California wine Adrian. You’re really going to enjoy it. Come out as soon as you can as this year’s harvest is supposed to be superb!
Bonjournal says
Beautiful shots.
I will need to get my hands on some C’est de l’Or. Sounds delicious!
Brianna says
It is way to easy to drink 🙂
Anne Klien says
Never been to a winery wine tasting love to try it
Brianna says
Wineries are great fun, they often have free or low cost tastings too.
Bianca @itsallbee says
Sounds like a great place to take in the surroundings with a nice tipple in hand.
Brianna says
There are few place that aren’t good when you have wine in hand 😉
Revati Victor says
I’ve never been that side of the world before, but I had absolutely no idea that Maine was a wine region! I love bold reds too, and definitely agree on the blackberry bit! The wines sound just like the kind I like! Thanks for adding one more wine region to my list of must visits!
Brianna says
I wouldn’t say its a wine region just yet but there are plenty of other reasons to visit Maine.
Annika - Live Laugh Explore says
Looks lovely! This would be a perfect stop for a New England road trip…!
Brianna says
It would be! The nearby town of Camden would be a great stop too.
Samantha says
Wineries are fab places aren’t they!? My two favorite things in life…wine and cheese combined with a great view! Wish there were more beautiful wineries near me!
Brianna says
Just another reason to travel!
Laura says
It’s a hard life when you have to sample wines 😉 looks so amazing!! I’m very jealous
Brianna says
There are certainly worse things in life than tasting wine 😉
Claudia says
Wanna go wanna go! I love wine, and wine tasting 🙂
Brianna says
What’s not to like?
Emma says
It looks incredible. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous wines, what more do you want? 🙂
Brianna says
I know, right?
Mindi @ 2foodtrippers says
I’m intrigued to try a port style maple syrup infused brandy. The C’est de l’Or sounds delicious!
Brianna says
It was tasty, I wish I had brought some home!
Samantha @ mytanfeet says
I’ve only been to one winery that was in Washington and this one looks beautiful as well! I’m not surprised to hear Maine has a great winery and I bet it’d make for a great stop on a road trip through there.
Mikaela says
I have yet to travel in Maine, but it is high on my list of places to visit when I am back in the States. Your photos are beautiful!
Brianna says
Thanks! Maine surprised me, there’s a lot of great stuff happening up there.
Urska says
Would love to visit a place like that! I can always be persuaded with a glass of good wine, but also it looks so beautiful!
Brianna says
A glas of wine and beautiful views, what’s not to like?
Sandra @ Tripper says
You are killing me (in a good way) with your Maine posts! “Because all good reds have a hint of blackberry”, yes, yes and yes. Loved the names for the wines. Mostly the wines in Portugal will have the family name, or a mix of family name and region name, but I enjoy the innovation.
Brianna says
I enjoyed Maine a lot more than I expected to, its a very genuine place with a lot to offer.
Karen Warren says
I like the look of this. If I ever get to Maine (it’s on my bucket list) I’ll make sure to check it out.
Brianna says
You should definitely make your way to Maine sometime, nature, quaint towns and good food abound.
Cory Lee says
I’m not a big wine drinker, but the vineyard looks gorgeous. Would love to visit just to get some great photos.
Brianna says
It’s worth visiting for the view from the deck alone!
Mel Elderfield says
Fantastic to see a girl and her wine loving life! Neat site by the way, keep up the good work!
Brianna says
Thanks for stopping by! Stay tuned for more wine-filled fun!
emma says
Ooh I have only ever really visited Portland and Goram in Maine, looks like I’ll be adding this vineyard to the list next time I cross the pond!
Brianna says
Mid-coast Maine is very picturesque and very different from Portland. Its what you imagine when you think of Maine.
Gran Canaria Local says
Well done, Maine. If they grow vines on volcanic soil like they do in Lanzarote, they can grow them anywhere. Look forward to tasting this vintage sooner rather than later.
Brianna says
Its amazing the places people plant vines, the lengths we go to for good wine!
Simone says
This looks amazing! Coming from Napa we love our wine, I’m a Cab girl too. THat brandy looks great though! Will definitely add this to our list of places to visit.
Brianna says
How can you not love maple flavored anything?
Milosz Zak says
If you’re a sommelier, make sure to visit the Niagara wine country.
Brianna says
I’ve been hearing good things!
Alli says
This looks so lovely – an experience right up my alley. With 30 blends to choose from, I am with you – choose the regional specialty every time! 🙂
Brianna says
I couldn’t imagine a lovelier setting to enjoy a sip of wine.
Christine says
Yum! Delicious sounding wines in a beautiful setting! I love the interior of that winery! That barrels under the table are awesome!
Brianna says
It really is an inviting space isn’t it?
Francesca (@WorkMomTravels) says
I’ve been dreaming of Maine since childhood. Still haven’t made it there but now with the promise of wine, I might be getting there sooner rather than later 🙂 Cellardoor and the grounds look beautiful!
Brianna says
There’s a ton of other good stuff to eat and drink in Maine, I loved it!
Adelina // Pack Me To says
Love those rainbow chairs! What a great shot. And whoa! Maple syrup brandy? That’s awesome!
Brianna says
Seriously, alcoholic maple syrup!
Margherita @The Crowded Planet says
Scenic indeed! I remember thinking of Austria when I saw this winery on your FB page. I imagined Maine would be completely different. I don’t know why! I really would love to try Prince Valiant and the maple-syrup flavoured brandy… sounds yummy!
Brianna says
I didn’t expect Maine to look like this either ( I also agrre, it does look a bit like Austria!).
Veronika says
Beautiful… the indoor area reminds me of one place in Australia minus the crowds.. Great post!
Brianna says
Thanks for stopping by, I’d love to visit an Aussie winery!
Elaine says
I’ve been to Maine before and loved it! The wine tasting location looks stunning, I would definitely do it!
Brianna says
I really enjoyed Maine, I’m sure I’ll be back!
Maria from Nerd Nomads says
Wow, this looks like such a beautiful place! Great photos! I have never been to a vineyard yet, but would love to visit one! I love Cabernets too, of course with a hint of blackberry…it`s a must :).
Brianna says
Wineries are some of my favorite places to visit!
Carmen (CarmensTravelTips) says
What a beautiful countryside place. I’ll definitely have to add this to my list of places to check out next time we are in Maine. Thanks for linking up to #WeekendWanderlust.
Brianna says
This winery really surprised us both with its gorgeous location and tasty wine.
Sammi Wanderlustin' says
This looks like the perfect weekend activity 🙂 I could totally chill out looking over those views with some wine and some cheese
Brianna says
What’s better than a glass of wine and a great view?
Lauren says
You had me at “Maple-infused!” Ahhh! I want to try it! Thanks for linking up with #WeekendWanderlust!
Brianna says
Seriously, anything that starts with maple can’t be bad.
Jennifer says
I definitely don’t think wineries when I think of Maine, but this one looks gorgeous and the maple syrup brandy does sound really delicious. I’ll just add this as another reason to finally make it to Maine!
Brianna says
Jennifer- I absolutely loved Maine and I was quite surprised to see a handful of wineries while I was there. I highly suggest you visit the mid coast and Acadia areas- just gorgeous.