PORTLAND WINE WEEK 2024 FEATURE: SOMMELIER Jenn Forge of Twelve
Sponsored by Buoy Local.
Introducing the Portland Wine Week Sommelier Showcase, brought to you by Buoy Local. Portland, Maine, may be a small city, but it has an outsized reputation for wine and food thanks to the talented culinary stars behind its mouth-watering menus. When it comes to wine, Portland is dominated by women wine professionals who work hard to bring you the best bottles from across the globe. This series spotlights 10 women Sommeliers pouring phenomenal wine all Portland Wine Week-long!
JENNS’S Portland Wine Week Events:
A force of nature and fount of wine knowledge, Jenn Forge is at the helm of one of the hottest restaurants in Portland right now. Twelve opened in 2022 after massive anticipation, and quickly snatched a spot as one of America’s Best Restaurants of 2022 according to The New York Times. As wine director and house sommelier for an elevated “Modern New England” dining destination, guests more often than not opt for her wine pairings with Twelve’s signature pre-fixe, rather than order from the list. As such, she has to juggle palates and preferences far and wide. She summarizes her slant as Somm as: “whatever it is, we got you!”
Twelve’s reputation is immense, but she, and the other leaders at the parent hospitality group Prentice, never want the experience to come off as stuffy. The atmosphere of Twelve is impressive, yet comforting; the food is technically perfect in its preparation and plating, and still, its humble Maine roots are evident. There is warmth in the clean, professional aesthetic, and this is where Jenn works her magic. After all, she’s a self-defined “Maine girl.” Born and raised in Portland, Maine, Jenn is a veteran of the city’s hospitality scene. A longtime local bartender, her love of wine blossomed while working at the former Portland restaurant Lolita; a renowned Munjoy Hill bistro where Co-Owner/Sommelier Stella Hernandez nurtured Jenn’s curiosity and drive: “I had been exposed to wine in bits and pieces over the years, but it was seeing her wine map of France that got me hooked.” She’s now a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers with a degree in hospitality management and a relentless enthusiasm for guiding guests toward wines that will delight their senses and enhance Twelve’s acclaimed fare. “My favorite thing is helping guests find a wine they love. I particularly enjoy it when guests look for recommendations. It’s a mystery that I need to solve, and it’s so rewarding. They put their trust in me, and I take that challenge seriously.”
On June 10th, you can witness Jenn in her element as one of the 10 featured women sommeliers of Portland for the Grand Opening Women In Wine Dinner: Who Paired It Better? Sponsored By Bangor Savings. Or anytime, when you visit Twelve to enjoy seasonally inspired dishes that earn rave reviews from top magazines like Bon Appetit, Boston Globe, Vogue, and Boston Magazine, accompanied by a wine list she describes as: “Classic. Approachable. Impressive. Informative. Organized. Diverse.”
Throughout Portland Wine Week, Twelve is your destination for boutique tasting experiences curated by the collective expertise of Jenn, and Executive Chef Colin Wyatt, and the entire Twelve team. “We’re hosting a Weeklong Premium Wine Pairing, among several other delicious offerings. This will be a great opportunity for guests to enjoy wines that you typically cannot get your hands on paired with the amazing food that we are known for. I am a little sad that I can’t actually sit down for a Premium Wine Pairings at Twelve myself! But at least I’ll get to provide guests with an experience, which is always so rewarding.” Jenn will be pouring world-renowned wines, from tête de cuvée champagne to grand cru wines and everything in between. Stay tuned to our events schedule for more weeklong offerings from Twelve. Walk-in availability is extremely limited and reservations for Twelve fill up fast. If you wish to participate in the Premium Wine Pairings taking place all Portland Wine Week-long, an early reservation is strongly encouraged so as not to miss out on a truly unmissable evening of wine and food.
Jenn Forge’s talents don’t end with wine. We’ve known for a long time that she’s got the pipes to sing opera and play classical piano. “I was a classical musician in my previous life,” she says with a laugh. “It always cracks me up when people find out. I just don’t fit that stereotype: I have tattoos, and I have some edges that could get smoothed out. But growing up performing and being on stage has made me comfortable in front of larger groups or audiences. I like to think of the restaurant as a stage, and when the doors open it's showtime!” Perhaps if you ask nicely, she’ll offer a tableside Aria as she presents your bottle…
