“Even before someone tastes something for the first time, they respond to the story (behind the beverage),” said Maher, who with his wife, Emmy Andersson, operate Square Root Natural Foods on Route 26 in Poland, Maine. “People like to know where the item is produced, where the ingredients are grown or know something about how it is made.”

That’s exactly why Maher holds monthly wine tastings at his store.

“People can taste the wines and get used to the names,” said Maher, “but we can [also] tell them what goes on behind the scenes to make the finished product.”

When it comes to Maine-made wines and brews, Maher said that the market has exploded. He finds that summer visitors like to seek out a Maine wine when visiting the state. His bottle racks are often filled with wines that include Maine staples: blueberries, honey, and maple syrup.

“Mead is popular,” said Maher, a brand made in Portland. “We’ve stocked Blacksmiths (a winery in South Casco).”

And if you are looking for Maine made craft beers, there’s never a shortage of choices.

“We sell lots of Baxter and Allagash,” said Maher, citing that Baxter is made in Lewiston and Allagash in Portland. “There is a strong market for craft beers.”

A search on the Internet proves Maher’s point.

The Maine Winery Guild website (mainewineryguild.com) lists 24 wineries across the state. The site even highlights a Wine Trail map that leads to each winery location and gives a list of the types of wines produced there. Many wineries have their own tasting rooms and there are links to each of the winery websites. The site suggests calling the wineries in advance to confirm the hours of operation for tasting rooms.

“Maine wines are usually grape and fruit wines,” said Maher, while the winery guild website notes other selections that include hard ciders and meads, which involve fermenting honey and water mixed with various fruits, spices, grains or hops.

Maine craft beers have their own website at mainebrewersguild.org that includes a list of 46 members. Maher said that brewers range from large operations to single-person shops in the craft beer business.

“Many sell singles (individual bottles) in 22-ounce size bottles and smaller,” said Maher, which gives consumers a chance to try a taste rather than a large quantity. “There are also many seasonal brews which are available for only a few months. You need to stock up on these when you can because they won’t be around for long.”

When gift giving, Maher suggested expanding the possibilities beyond simply buying a bottle of wine or a selection of craft beers.

“You can always make gift baskets which can include the bottle along with other Maine-made foods; jams, jellies or chocolate,” said Maher, whose store also has a selection of pottery from local artisans including goblets, mugs, plates and bowls. “We have wine gift bags, but you can always consider a locally crafted item to go along with the gift.”

As for which wine or craft beer to choose as a gift, Maher is a wealth of information.

“When we stock our shelves, we choose what we are interested in, not something that we like, but something that we might want to try,” said Maher. “I have tried everything on the shelf here.”

Maher’s mother, Linda Maher, who occasionally helps out at the store, admitted that she was never really a wine person until her son started the venture.

“I’ve learned a lot about wine,” she said. “Now, I have favorites.”

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