Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100Explore Maine! with help from the Natural Resources Council of Maine 2017 nature of maine C A L E N DA R 2 0 1 6 A N N U A L R E P O R T Become an NRCM member and receive our one-of-a-kind “Nature of Maine” calendar featuring beautiful Maine photos, conservation victories, and much more! Best of all, you’ll be helping protect the Maine you love. “NRCM Environment” You’ll find more than 100special places to explore. Discover them for yourself! Find the Explore Maine map at www.nrcm.org Looking for places to snowshoe, cross-country ski, hike, and more? Download our FREE APP! 56 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Everyday Sommelier A blend of equal parts Merlot (add- ing plummy richness); Cabernet Sauvi- gnon (flavors of black currants and a tan- nic backbone); and Sangiovese (hints of red fruits, acidity) three grapes grown in the Italian region of Umbria, Vitiano Rosso is a beautifully balanced blended wine. Vi- nified in stainless steel tanks and aged in French oak barrels for three months before bottling, the process adheres to winemaker Riccardo Cotarella’s philosophy of meticu- lous winemaking. The result is a delicious, youthful red that would pair perfectly with red meats or a winter stew. For under $10 a bottle, Vitiano Rosso shows us that variety is the spice of life. Le Charmel Syrah-Grenache ($12) from the Rhône Valley in France is a blend of 70 percent Syrah and 30 percent Grenache. Most Southern Rhône wines are usually dominated by a majority of Grenache, so this particular wine is un- usual and exciting in its composition. The richer Syrah proportion ensures a deep- er color, great aging potential, and an el- egant flowery fragrance, while the Gre- nache lends smoothness, rich fruit notes, and a certain spice to the wine. The grapes are destemmed and vinified separately be- fore undergoing a cold maceration prior to the actual fermentation in order to ex- tract a deep color and intense, pure fruit flavor. Fermentation lasts two to three weeks under a controlled temperature. The wine is then aged for six months in concrete tanks prior to bottling. The Le Charmel paired with herbes de Provence crusted lamb chops is a sure way to im- press your date on Valentine’s Day. n winerist.com