Tannery Street Wine Co. pops the cork in Norway

Photo: Peter L. McGuire

REPURPOSED — Tannery Street Wine Company, a new boutique wine distributor, has opened its doors in this old snowshoe factory in downtown Norway.

NORWAY — Maine's newest boutique wine distributor has set up shop in downtown Norway.

Tannery Street Wine Company, which started delivering cases of vino around the state earlier this spring, is owned by Dan Reavis, a local businessman who has lived and worked in the Western Maine foothills for more than 25 years.

The operation is housed in a historic former snowshoe factory on Tannery Street.

Even though the building is "in pretty rough shape," Reavis says he's looking forward to fixing it up. It's important for Reavis to keep his business local –  he started the company in Norway because he wanted to work and live in the same area with his family.

Reavis' interest in wine stems from his ownership of a convenience store in Bryant Pond – he noticed that if he stocked a selection of good, harder-to-find wines, he could cultivate clientele that would return – especially those headed up to ski hills or their summer camps.

Distribution is a different game, however. Reavis says he isn't interested in trying to compete directly with the state's large distributors like Pine State Trading Company –  he wants to provide top-quality, unique wines to smaller businesses like restaurants and fine food and wine stores.

As his own experience with the wine market was in retail, Reavis went to the experts for help.

In April, Jeff Cole, a 30-year veteran of wholesale wine distribution in Maine, was brought on board to develop sales territory from Portland south.

Cole has existing relationships with suppliers, restaurateurs and retailers across the state and is a devoted wine lover who has traveled to wine producing regions across the world.

To add to Cole's expertise, Reavis hired Chris Plumstead in September to develop territory from Portland north.

Plumstead, also a lifelong wine enthusiast, has years of wine distributor experience as well as media skills, serving as the advertising manager of Down East Magazine for 14 years.

Reavis says his team finds unique, specialty wines that are carefully chosen –  he wants Tannery Street's mark to be excellence and taste.

Reavis plans to distribute all over the state, although the market for boutique wines in stronger in the south and along the coast than it is in western Maine.

While Tannery Street doesn't retail, some if its wines are available in Oxford Hills. Reavis says the company's wines, with their distinctive golden distributor sticker, can be found at Café Nomad, 76 Pleasant Street and Maurice Restaurant.

Photo:

Chris Plumstead

Photo:

Jeff Cole