Maine & Loire

Maine & Loire has become my go-to spot whenever I need a special bottle of wine, or something fun, or just something reliably high-quality. It’s the kind of place where I can walk in and say, “Hey, I’m making haddock chowder tonight, my budget is $30,” and immediately get a handful of thoughtful recommendations plus a mini wine lesson, which I always appreciate. Wine can get pretentious and intimidating so fast, and I never feel that way at Maine & Loire. I also really love their sales and loyalty program. Getting those emails with 10% off codes (which they send out pretty often!) always makes my day. Lastly, I think you can choose to drink bottles on site, but in the past their policy seemed to change a few times, so I’ve stopped trying and just treat them as my go-to wine shop.

My husband and I visited Portland in October 2021. Maine and Loire was one of the places on my list I was most excited to visit, and it did not disappoint. The store is beautiful, selection unbelievable, and the staff was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. They helped us choose a lovely bottle of wine and then we sat in the shop to enjoy it. It was truly the perfect way to spend a rainy Maine afternoon. I wish I lived closer because I would be there all the time!

in my opinion this is the best wine shop in Cumberland County. They have a fantastic selection of wines at all price points. Their wines are all natural or organic and sourced from generally smaller farms using sustainable growing techniques. Peter and his wife Arenda, the owners, are always there to greet you and help with any questions you might have.

Really nice experience. People working there know their stuff and there’s a huge selection. If you’re looking for natural wine in Portland, it’s your spot!

One of our favorite wine shops around! We don’t live in Portland, but we always stop in to see Peter, Orenda, and their staff and always leave happy with something new and exciting to drink. As of late my family has been going through a personal matter and we’ve found ourselves in Portland on a regular basis and being able to stop in and see the Maine and Loire crew and feel that family vibe has certainly been helpful, not to mention delicious!!!!!! Shop local and keep drinking great wine!!!! Happy Holidays!!!!

The selection of wines is exceptional and interesting; on every shelf there are surprises and stories to be told. Every bottle chosen by the Maine & Loire folks reflects the craft and art of winemaking, the love of the land, the mission that drives the winemaker to do what they do ... and the staff is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and eager to share the stories of why they love a particular bottle, or region, or winemaker! And, at the same time, no question is too basic, no taste too "unrefined," no customer too "inexperienced." The care for wine and the care of the customer are just part of what makes Maine & Loire so special! And, you can enjoy a glass of what you just purchased in the beautiful space on-site!

Absolutely lovely wine store. Stopped in on my way through Portland while on vacation this summer. It was my first time in the store, so being unfamiliar with their setup/layout and with so many wines to choose from, I was a bit overwhelmed. The staff was so friendly and unbelievably helpful in picking out a well rounded selection of wines to make our vacation special. Will definitely be back time and time again as we travel to Portland or through Portland.

I visited Maine and Loire on a long weekend trip to Portland and it became my new favourite place. I have been introduced to so much great new wine through them and LOVE their “packs” - the beach day 4 pack and off-road Italy were firm faves. Great staff, super friendly - I just wish I could ship to NYC! Guess I’ll have to come back for another visit.

Maine & Loire has become my go-to spot whenever I need a special bottle of wine, or something fun, or just something reliably high-quality. It's the kind of place where I can walk in and say, "Hey, I'm making haddock chowder tonight, my budget is $30," and immediately get a handful of thoughtful recommendations plus a mini wine lesson, which I always appreciate. Wine can get pretentious and intimidating so fast, and I never feel that way at Maine & Loire. I also really love their sales and loyalty program. Getting those emails with 10% off codes (which they send out pretty often!) always makes my day. Lastly, I think you can choose to drink bottles on site, but in the past their policy seemed to change a few times, so I've stopped trying and just treat them as my go-to wine shop.

I wanted to get a nice bottle of wine for a colleague and had a chat with Peter, one of the owners. He did an awesome job of listening to what I needed and made a spot-on selection. Great conversation and attention to the customer, while also making everything super simple and smooth. Highly recommended!

What a chill place. All things wine. Love the laid back vibe and the super knowledgeable staff. Today they have a pop up pizza gig outside. What a great combo - pizza and wine!!! Wish we lived In the area, we'd be in all the time. Thanks guys!!!

A chill wine bar with friendly owners and a fabulous wine selection. Saturday wine by the glass is a great time to enjoy delicious wines with family or friends. Very glad my daughter lives in the neighborhood. Highly recommend!

SPOILER ALERT: This review is totally my opinion based upon one conversation I had with the establishment's owner. I see that there are other reviews that speak highly of this business. My experience with Maine & Loire, however, was not good and neither is my review of this business. REVIEW: There are many different places to buy wine in this town and, I think, you should go to any one of the OTHER places before ever trying this one. For me, the customer service - which there really was NONE - is the reason I rate Maine & Loire so low. The owner, Orenda Hale, was arrogant and dismissive of me and my situation. To be fair, here is my story. I received a gift certificate to her and her husband's other business which was a restaurant THAT ALSO INCLUDED A RETAIL WINE STORE INSIDE THE DINING ROOM!!!! And all of this is at the same location as the current business. I was unable to use this gift certificate because of Covid. When I contacted Orenda about my gift certificate, she told me in no uncertain terms that the gift certificate would NOT be accepted for any purpose or in any amount. I had expected some sort of accommodation - perhaps a discount - since the gift certificate was old. Truthfully, the gift certificate had no expiration date. In my opinion, the best and honorable business decision would be for Orenda, as the owner of the issuer AND the current business in the same location, to honor the gift certificate now. After all, it was she (or more precisely, HER business) who had originally issued it and received the full benefit of the cash used to purchase the gift certificate. I had NOT expected Orenda's bad attitude and a simple "NO." There were many many other ways to handle our conversation. Orenda chose to handle it in a dismissive way. Shame on you, Orenda. No wonder your last 2 businesses closed. Until you realize that good customer service is just as important - maybe more - as a good product, I believe your business ventures will not last. And - just to remind you - this from a person who has closed not one, but two, businesses in the same location. She just keeps closing one place to open another and, I guess, the liabilities (such as my gift certificate) are casualties of her slash and burn business model. No surprise from a woman who treated me like I was dirt under her multiple-failed business feet.

Update 9.8: I did get my refund after being able to get ahold of them over the phone after multiple tries of getting voicemail. While I still think that the situation could have been handled better (gift card was sent the same day just an hour or two before they swinged by, you could see the receipt/amount on my brother's phone), at least I got my refund. My brother said the staff was rather unhelpful, and having worked in hospitality/dealt with Square issues before - there's always way to ensure customers have a nice experience. DO NOT BUY GIFT CARDS: I sent a gift card to my brother who just got engaged in Portland and is leaving back home tomorrow. The wine shop said their POS is down and would not sell them a bottle even though they already have my money. I tried calling to get a refund and get sent straight to voicemail, I hope I can get my money back. I am soooo dissapointed that they ruined this moment for my family.

I love that wine is becoming more and more approachable. And it's places like Maine & Loire that's helping to change this culture: interesting wines from fascinating places by knowledgable people in an unpretentious setting. Know what you're looking for? Grab it and go. Know nothing about wines except that you like certain flavors? Ask for help! But whatever you do, definitely take the time to read the incredibly punchy handwritten tags that accompany some of the bottles (like "Netflix and Chill" or "Feeling Sexy?"). I like the smaller space they're working in now; it feels more concentrated. I'm also impressed with their dedication to organic and biodynamic wines. I appreciate their commitment to education through wine samplings. And I also like the reassurance that no question is a stupid question here (I was recently looking for something peaty or smoky [I'm obsessed with Islay whisky] and asked out of curiosity if they carried something comparable... within seconds I was pointed in the direction of something that might hit the spot). Need a bottle (or three)? Whether you're looking to build your own collection, are buying a gift for a wine lover, or want to bring a talking piece to a dinner party... I would suggest stopping here.

I'm a millennial who loves Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and all the food media outlets. I've heard about Drifter's Wife and Maine & Loire for quite some time, especially the wine shop since I love a unique and good wine spot. Luckily, Maine & Loire was around the corner from our airbnb so we stopped by to pick up a bottle to take with us up to Acadia. The space is clean and open but packed with every wine option your heart would want. I worked with staff person by telling him what I was looking for (a bottle to drink with snacks) and what I didn't and did like and then he walked me through some options he came up with. It was extremely attentive and I loved having different tiers of options depending on how safe I wanted to be with my wine. We drank the bottle throughout our weekend in Bar Harbor and it was absolutely perfect. One of the most unique wines I've had while being extremely easy to drink. I love Maine & Loire and wish there was one in my neighborhood!!

I feel so fortunate to have a wine shop like Maine & Loire in my neighborhood! Orenda, Peter, Lennie, and Dylan all have vast knowledge of their ever-changing, well-curated, downright sexy selection of wines, and it's just a damn pleasure popping in there 2-3x a week to pick up something new. They have something delish and sure to please at every price point. Also, where else can you split a killer bottle of wine at RETAIL COST with a friend or three in a cozy atmosphere?! Kudos infinite times over for creating something so heartfelt and such an integral part of the East Portland community.

Lovely spot to sample some wines and take a break from whatever else is going on. The employees here are knowledgeable and eager to assist you. It's a really peaceful space if you just want to sit and try a few wines and talk with people who are committed to selling you something tasty and to your liking. You can drink there and/or buy bottles to take home. Check it out.

This was a great find for us in Downtown Portland! Stopped in to grab a bottle of wine after a long day exploring the city. The shop is really nice and carries a very eclectic variety. The staff member who helped us was very knowledgable - I talked a bit about my preferences and he suggested a bottle which honestly was one of the best whites I've had in a long time! And unlike places where they automatically try to sell you expensive bottles when you show some knowledge about wine (you know, once you pass the "you're female and didn't ask for Prosecco or Moscato" test) the bottle he suggested was reasonably priced AND (as mentioned before) FREAKIN delicious. Probably good I'm not a local or I'd be spending a lot of money here. If you're visiting or local and you want good wine, do yourself a favor and stop in here.

An amazing wine shop with friendly and knowledgeable staff. The selection is outstanding and I've never been disappointed with a recommendation.

After multiple emails, and years of the run around the owners of this business won't honor a gift card at their current business for another business they owned that went under. They told me I could use my Drifters Wife gift card at pigeons when that opened, then they immediately shut pigeons down. For a place that makes a ton of money, you'd think they would honor gift cards for businesses they allowed to fail. Disappointing

Maine & Loire is a dishonorable establishment with regard to redeeming gift certificates. The owner, Orenda Hale, refuses to honor our gift certificate which has no expiration date. She claims "that business" (Drifters Wife) is closed, however it is the same location with the same phone number AND the same address AND the same furnishings, bar etc.. AND the same owners!! I think this is a scam to avoid liabilities such as already sold gift certificates. And I remind everyone, I did not ask for a cash refund, but only to accept the value of the certificate, nothing more, nothing less and I think quite reasonable. I would also like to point out that if you look at some of the other reviews, you will see a pattern of complaints over this same issue of not honoring gift certificates.

chill place with great wine. it is bring your own food, which rocks. drink a fancy bottle of wine with some snacks from one of the many spots nearby and feel at ease. very gorgeous setting and kind, informative people who work there. it is so chill and so nice to unwind there.

The owners of this business are not honorable. We purchased a gift card to their restaurant which went out of business and they refused a refund. If this is how they operate I would certainly not patronize any of their businesses.

The long of it: I love Portland, Maine and often fantasize about relocating. But after going to Maine & Loire the fantasy might become a reality. I mean, is it wrong to uproot your entire life because of a wine shop? I mean ok...don't answer that. Actually get back to me after visiting the shop. This is possibly one of the best wine stores I've ever been in. The descriptions of the wine are hilarious but so incredibly accurate. I found what is now my all time favorite sparkling wine but I can only find it here! The short of it: a great curated selection run by the nicest people you'll ever meet.

A wonderland of amazing and well priced wines! This was a destination when I was in Portland on recommendation of a colleague in NYC, who loves the Drifter's Wife. We opted to eat somewhere else but stocked up on a variety of labels we haven't seen other places but get good reviews online. This small store had a good selection and was well organized. The shop owners, also former Brooklynites, were friendly and knowledgeable. In general we really enjoyed our visit to Portland and definitely will stop back here any time we are in town.

Simply one of the best wine shops in the country. An extremely knowledgeable, small and passionate team who care deeply for who makes the wines and how they are farmed. The offerings are some of the most rare and allocated selections you will find in the US, and the amount of wines they have to offer is staggering. Many folks in wine consider M&L an institution already, for good reason. While a more serious wine-drinker will have a hard time narrowing their purchase down to a case, there are ample choices at accessible prices for casual drinkers (but no "shelf fillers" or afterthoughts, all the wines carried are clearly intentional). Portland is lucky to have you!

What a great wine shop! The best selection of natural wines around. The staff is knowledgeable, helpful, and not judgmental. The owners are wonderful and welcoming and the space is beautiful!

I'm surprised by all the raving reviews because I found this place just plain awkward to shop at. The selection looked promising but there is absolutely no information about any bottle (a hang tag with grape, the maker and a flavor profile is pretty standard practice) to help you choose. When I reached for a bottle to learn more, I was informed we weren't allowed to touch the wine. This is after entering and sanitizing our hands in front of the man working. Perhaps this is normal in a pretentious hipster world but we were entirely turned off by the experience. I won't be back and suggest you save yourself the weird vibes and pop over to RSVP, Grippy Tannins or any number of local establishments that seem to grasp the basics of selling wine in a comfortable, informative environment.

The food is stunning, sophisticated and innovative. Rivals the best restaurants in NY and Boston. Small menus with 5 small plates, 3 protein entree and one dessert that change every day, but the taste is to die for. Chef is from Brooklyn NY. The young couple with a baby is the co-owners. Wine cellar is the best too.

This is a really great wine store with super friendly owners. Peter is really knowledgeable and most helpful. It's just fun to go in and browse and learn from him. I've never been disappointed. In Portland, this is the go to store for good wines! Peter's wife Orenda is really sweet and little Luca is a doll. Go there soon and have fun.

The best! Amazing selection, warm and knowledgeable staff, clean and welcoming shop, great descriptions, outstanding vibe. Woot!!!

Excellent! Very knowledgeable staff, very unique wines that are impossible to get anywhere else. Great selection. I plan to be a regular!