Harvest on the Harbor Adds WOW FACTOR to Wine at This Year's Event

PORTLAND, Maine, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine enthusiasts take note! This year's Harvest on the Harbor, which continues to focus on what Maine's best chefs have to offer, is expanding to highlight some of the best wines recommended by those top chefs. In more than doubling its wine offerings, Maine's premier food and wine experience will delight participants with wines from the world over -- from small-production, handcrafted bottles from Maine, to large, state-of-the-art wineries from around the globe.

"Fine wines have certainly always been a part of this prestigious festival, but this year, I urge everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the experts, ask questions and taste some of the most exciting wines ever offered at any public event in Maine," says Tom Hansen, Wine Director for Harvest on the Harbor.

Presented by the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau, the third annual Harvest on the Harbor will be held Thursday through Saturday, October 21-23, at Ocean Gateway on Portland's picturesque waterfront. Thousands have turned out for the event in past years, and this year we have expanded Saturday's Marketplace and included two sessions, to comfortably accommodate more patrons. (For a complete schedule, ticket and lodging information, visit www.harvestontheharbor.com.)

"Harvest on the Harbor reflects Maine's reputation as a 'Foodie Capital,'" Hansen says, "and now the wines that it will feature reach the same caliber. Top chefs are putting together increasingly great wine lists. Their eclectic mixture of big national brands, along with those from small niche producers utilizing unusual grape varieties, will certainly bring the festival to a new level."

More than 50 wineries, up from 27 last year, will be represented. Samplings of the over 400 wines represented include:

Rombauer Chardonnay, Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon; Treana Winery Red and Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir from the U.S.;  Bisol Prosecco, Allegrini Amarone and Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino from Italy;  Veuve Clicquot Champagne Rose and Carillon Puligny Montrachet from France. 

Adds Hansen, "There also will be wines even the most serious enthusiasts will find new and unusual. Paul Turina will be at Harvest on the Harbor with his family's Italian wines made from Gropello and Marzemina grapes, and Vias Imports will be showing off fantastic wines from Campania — Greco di Tufo and Falanghina. There really will be something for everyone."

Other not-to-miss wines include: Cliff Edge Shiraz, Boekenhoutskloof Chocolate Block, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, the wines of Joel Gott and, of course, Maine's own Big Claw, designed specifically to be paired with lobster.

For more information about Harvest on the Harbor, check out "Who's Pouring" on the Harvest on the Harbor website at www.harvestontheharbor.com

This event is produced by the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau and sponsored, in part, by the Maine Office of Tourism, Down East Magazine and WHOM, 94.9 FM.

SOURCE Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau