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Kris Kramer, Assistant Wine Maker at Blacksmith Winery

March 03, 2010 - CASCO -- Kris Kramer spent five years in the restaurant industry before he decided he didn't want to work with food anymore. He started looking for jobs in local libraries and museums but what really appealed to him was the idea of working in a winery for a few months over the summer.

''I started calling and begging for a job and they relented and gave me an interview.''

That was nine years ago and he hasn't looked back since. Kramer is the assistant wine maker at Blacksmiths Winery, located in South Casco. The winery opened in 2000 and offers customers 20 different kinds of wine made from Maine products, as well as gourmet foods and gifts.

''The basic underlying process is the same with every wine,'' Kramer said. ''We have a raw product, inoculate it with yeast and the yeast turns the sugar into alcohol.''

More specifically, there are four basic steps to wine making: preparing and receiving the product, fermentation and filtration, preparing for bottling and finally, bottling the product, Kramer said. Part of his job is assisting with all four stages, and the additional steps within those stages such as hand-pressing the raw fruit, transferring the wine from one holding tank to another, and even getting to taste the wine.

''We're tasting for flaws and also what we want to have in the final product,'' he said. ''The wine changes a lot through the whole process. If you taste the product early on, it's not as pleasant as the final product.

The Vidal Blanc and Rhubarb wines are two of Kramer's favorites, as well as the cider, he said. But he also said his wine of choice depends on what he happens to be eating at the time and the time of year, as well as what he's in the mood for.
Kramer graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in history. He cooked in a restaurant in downtown Portland to put himself through school, attending classes part-time while he worked full-time.

''I didn't always have an interest in wine,'' Kramer said. ''It wasn't something I ever grew up with. I started in the restaurant business so I was more introduced to wine through that.''

Kramer has lived in Portland for 15 years, moving from a small town in Aroostook County to the city right after he graduated high school. And when he isn't making wine, he enjoys mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, sports he's been involved in for 12 years.

''It's more like boxing but there aren't formal ranking systems for (mixed martial arts),'' he said. ''Ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to do it. It helps keep me sane and active.''

Kramer said his job can vary greatly depending on the season and production schedule. Normally, he comes to work and prepares what needed for of the day, such as sanitizing tools or collecting materials he needs to begin the wine making process. However, since there are only five people working at Blacksmiths, he said his job responsibilities aren't set in stone.

''Whatever needs to get done is what we do each day,'' Kramer said. ''My job responsibilities are basically centered around the production of the product but, really, anything can happen.''


Blacksmiths Winery, located at 967 Quaker Ridge Road in South Casco, offers complementary wine tastings from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Friday through Monday. Customers can sample up to five different available wines. For more information, log on to www.blacksmithswinery.com.


by Leanne Ouimet, March 3, 2010, The Independent, Gray, Raymond, Windham

Lakes: Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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