[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 142 (Thursday, September 22, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5899-S5900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING BLACKSMITHS WINERY

 Ms. SNOWE. Madam President, my home State of Maine's long 
tradition of entrepreneurship includes a marked dedication to creative 
and quality craftsmanship. Small businesses in Maine strive to be both 
imaginative in design and superior in value. One such small business is 
Blacksmiths Winery of South Casco, one of Maine's largest wineries and 
the first in the State to be awarded both the silver and bronze medals 
in international wine competitions. Today I commend Blacksmiths Winery 
on their continued success and commitment to excellence.
  In the late 1800s, William Watkins lived and worked as an apprentice 
and blacksmith in South Casco. He was known to be an exacting 
craftsman, insisting upon making his own nails to ensure quality, 
rather than using the machine made variety. After William stopped 
working the blacksmith's forge, his son Albert shouldered the 
responsibility of the family business.

[[Page S5900]]

Over 100 years later, Blacksmiths Winery opened in the same location, 
which remains full of entrepreneurial vigor. The original buildings, 
including Watkins' home, barn, and shop make up the main structures of 
Blacksmiths Winery. As it takes its name from the profession of the 
earlier tenants, so Blacksmiths Winery certainly carries on the same 
enthusiasm for craftsmanship.
  Blacksmiths Winery opened its doors in 1999, producing 1,000 cases of 
wine in the first year, and has since continually grown and expanded 
their award-winning product. Blacksmiths Winery now offers its 
customers a wide variety of over 20 different wines and sodas. They 
produce the more traditional red and white wines, such as Cabernet 
Sauvignon, but are widely popular for their fruitier and more 
adventurous flavors, including raspberry and rhubarb wines. Many of 
Blacksmiths' products are based on the flavors of locally grown Maine 
blueberries, elderberries, cranberries, and apples. Blacksmiths also 
makes nonalcoholic soda from wine grapes, including Merlot and Riesling 
flavors, and is continually seeking to expand its offerings. Visitors 
can taste these wines and sodas any day of the week, and on weekends, 
Blacksmiths opens its beautiful porch to guests where they can relax 
and enjoy a variety of beverages.
  Highlighting Blacksmiths ingenuity, one of the company's popular 
fruit wines came about completely by chance. Through a packaging flaw, 
Blacksmiths acquired a large bunch of raspberries. Rather than waste 
the fruit, the company produced sample batches of what has become its 
raspberry dessert wine. This happy accident was then sent to the 
shelves at retail locations across Maine, to the delight of thirsty 
wine drinkers. This ingenuity is an example of the sort of creativity 
and adaptability, so characteristic of Maine entrepreneurs, that 
continues to keep the markets fresh with new and interesting products 
for consumers.
  Blacksmiths Winery has demonstrated a never quenching thirst to 
utilize new techniques and experiment with unique flavor combinations, 
a quality which has led in large measure to their growing recognition. 
Indeed, the company's popularity is growing, as it has recently begun 
shipping its award-winning wines to a number of out-of-state locations. 
I thank everyone at the Blacksmiths Winery for their hard work and 
innovation, and wish them the best success in years to come.

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