If you ever have the pleasure of heading to Northern New England. Be sure to travel along the coast of Maine. The scenery is spectacular! Rocky coastline, ocean breeze, and the quaint town of Kennebunkport. This town is brimming with New England flavor. On one of the main streets, you’ll find a clam/lobster/seafood shack “The Clam Shack” what is more Maine than that?
One of the main attractions for me is a wine bar/craft cocktail bar/restaurant called “Old Vines Wine Bar”. Since I’m a wine gal, this was a gem that I found a few years ago. I had the pleasure of speaking to Jon Ellms, one of the owners, about this cool, community focused restaurant.
A bit of history…it originally opened in 2009 as a wine bar and was sold and purchased in 2015. The focus of the place transitioned to accommodate this new ownership and to expand its offerings. With that, it has become not only a wine bar, but a unique restaurant that offers craft cocktails and an eclectic menu.
This type of fun place is always more enjoyable with two. That way you can each try something different and share the experience of the food, wine or cocktails, music, and atmosphere. Dare I say it was a thrilling experience!
As we walked into the original wine bar, we were greeted with a rustic, cozy wooden bar and a wall made from old wine boxes. Very cool and the perfect feel for a wine bar.
The wines are located behind a cage door that was perfect for displaying their interesting variety of wines.
Sam Cote is the wine manager. He shared his philosophy for wine selection in the restaurant. According to Sam, they work with distributors that can offer them wine selections from smaller, family run wineries and/or lesser-known producers. This keeps the wine menu fluid and changing and much more exciting. The wine list is reflective of wines from around the world…lesser-known varietals are sprinkled in between more well-known grapes. Wine is available by the glass or bottle with some splits, ½ bottles and magnums. The wine list is intriguing! Kudos to Sam for his eye to choose a selection for their customers that may be outside their norm and bring them to a new and interesting type of wine from Chile, Argentina, or Israel. We tried the Carmenére and Tempranillo. Thank you, Sam! They were well structured, unique, and delicious!
We didn’t have a craft cocktail, but I know for a fact that they are different and interesting. Oh, and amazingly crafted! How do I know? Well, a few years ago, I attended one of their cocktail classes. These are not your usual cocktail classes…you go behind the bar with one of Old Vine Wine Bar’s bartenders and make the drink yourself. Put the ingredients together, shake or stir it, pour it into the appropriate glass and add a garnish. Voilà! You are a bartender for an hour. So much fun! Check out a class on their website. You won’t be sorry!
Let’s talk about the food. Their chef is Joel Souza and his menu and food is distinctive! It is described as “tapas-esque” with a Portuguese influence. It is meant for sharing and to be a fun change from your typical menu. Something completely different for Kennebunkport. Here’s a link to their menu: https://www.oldvineswinebar.com/menu
The Sous Vide Game Hen and Warm Olive Tapenade are delicious! I’m told the desserts are amazing! Especially the Sticky Toffee Pudding. I’ll have to give it a try next time…the reviews are brilliant!
The Old Vines Wine Bar is all about creating community, celebration and a lively fun atmosphere! They host live music most Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The schedule of upcoming shows is on the website. Live music adds so much to the environment and experience of being here.
They recently expanded to include a covered patio complete with bar and tables. I love to dine al fresco in the summer. The breeze, the blue sky, the food, the drinks, the music. Love it!
Old Vines is expanding even more in the fall to include a glass enclosed atrium. The plan is to break ground in September 2021. The space will be used for dining, private events, and music. Exciting news!
Overall, we had a great experience with some fun wine and food selections. The overall atmosphere was relaxed and chill. Perfect for a summer (or anytime) dinner with drinks!
I definitely would recommend the Old Vines Wine Bar on your next sojourn to Kennebunkport!
Cheers!
https://www.oldvineswinebar.com
Old Vines Wine Bar, 173 Port Road, Kennebunkport, ME 04043