Holiday Cheer Looking for some holiday cheer? If the newly opened Wiscasset Wine Outlet, owned by Luanne and Bill Clifford, doesn't have the right price, you don't want it. That's Luanne in the doorway of their new store, located on Rt. 1 in Wiscasset. (Photo Barbara Martin)

Nobody would argue that we Mainers like a good bargain. And some of us like to add a few bottles of fine wine to our holiday celebrations, but don't mind doing it at boxed wine prices. If any of the above rings true, then the newly opened Wiscasset Wine Outlet just outside Wiscasset Village on Route 1 is a must stop.

Owners Luanne and Bill Clifford are not new to the hospitality business. For the past seven years, they have welcomed guests at 93 Townsend, their popular Boothbay Harbor Restaurant. Later they opened Oak Street Provisions, which offers wines and gourmet foods, also located in the Harbor.

But their newest venture may just be their most creative. At the Wiscasset Wine Outlet, shoppers can scout out bargains, but they won't have to search for a salesperson for suggestions. They will be able to get all the personal attention and expert advice needed when trying to unravel the complexities of choosing the right wine and still leave with money left over for the main course.

"I enjoy helping people," Luanne Clifford said. "And in a lot of ways, this is like a treasure hunt. If you leave with a five dollar bottle of wine, that tastes like a $25 bottle, that's great!"

The couple plans to cater to the individual tastes and needs of their customers. "We hope to offer a continuing service that will help customers hone in on what they enjoy most," Luanne said. "As we learn what a buyer likes, we can help them in a discovery process of what their palette truly enjoys."

Bill Clifford is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has been a chef for 18 years, perfecting his trade in cities across the nation. He is now the head chef at 93 Townsend, and has won several national awards that underscore his abilities, including the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year in 2003.

Luanne Clifford entered the corporate world after graduating from college and was a regional coordinator for Clinique in Arizona. She decided that she was tired of the corporate life and chose to come home and work as hard for herself as she was for the fat cats. She started the Daily Catch Fish Market and take-out restaurant in her hometown of Boothbay Harbor. When she met and married New Hampshire native Bill Clifford, they turned the restaurant into 93 Townsend, and their business plans were off and running.

The newly opened store will offer a wide variety of not so typical wines that can't be found at the supermarket and might be found at a specialty shop with a price tag far less pleasing than at the Wiscasset Wine Outlet.

"We are able to work with a lot of distributors and are able to purchase some surplus or overstock wines that we can offer at reduced prices," Luanne said. "We've both had the experience of trying a new wine and saying, `Wow, that's great.' "

But she also understands the disappointment of spending big bucks to try something new that disappoints with the first drop.

The store will feature wines from around the world and they will be continuing to add to their selection of gourmet foods. Gift baskets can be individually designed and they have enough wrapping options to turn a few elves somewhat green with envy. They even have corkscrews that range from the "cheapies" to the Cadillac of openers.

"Don't expect to just come in and be ignored," Luanne said. "If buyers would like some help, we have a number of questions that can be asked to narrow down what they would really like."

Once they've identified a preference for red or white, she explained they have some "key adjectives" they try out on customers that work like a divining rod in finding the right source. "Do you like your wine spicy, dry, juicy and fruity…" and on it goes.

The staff at the store will be regulars, including the owners, and they hope to get to know customers and get on a first name basis with their individual taste buds so they can better tailor their answers to their needs. They are more than willing to try to locate a favorite wine for less, or help someone decide what would be the perfect beverage to complement a customer's dinner menu.

Store prices run from $3 dollars a bottle to about $19. "But that bottle would normally cost $30 in a more conventional store," Luanne said. "Someone just came in, and I was able to help him find a $3.88 bottle of merlot that was just perfect for the pizza he was planning," she added.

Luanne described her interest in wine. "I've traveled throughout Napa Valley and toured vineyards all over the country," she said. Her experience has helped her learn how to buy wine and look for great values. "It's like a treasure hunt."

The couple started a wine-tasting club in Boothbay Harbor that now has 151 members and meets regularly for dinner and wine-tasting. The couple plans to offer wine-tasting events in Wiscasset also.

And by the way shoppers, they even have a bargain room. Happy Holidays!