FREE INSTORE TASTING ,This Saturday 19^th Anytime between 2.00 pm  to 4.00 pm, at Vino Fino, Featuring the Wines of Spain. With 20+ wines available to taste, this is a great opportunity to broaden your palate and discover something new and exciting. You will also experience the incredible value the wines of Spain invariably offer.

Vino Fino's retail premises at 188 Durham Street South have now re-opened and a big thanks to all of you for your support over the past 12 months while we have awaited repairs. 

After almost a year of waiting, we are nearing the day when we can be fully operational again, with repair work on the interior of the shop now underway.  We'll keep you posted as we near our re-opening date. In the meanwhile we will be at the premises for order pickups Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm. Tastings will resume February 28th.

Trust everyone is enjoying the Festive break. At Vino Fino we came through last Friday's quakes unscathed and the building appears not to have suffered further damage - thank goodness the parapets had been removed. We will be processing orders Wednesday 28th - Friday 30th December and from Wednesday 4th January onwards.

As we approach Christmas the deadlines for online order deliveries is closing. For North Island and all rural address the last day for dispatch is Tuesday 20th. For South Island addresses last dispatch date is Wednesday 21st - i.e. orders recieved prior to then. For Christchurch city orders need to be made by Wednesday 21st for dispatch and delivery Wednesday - Friday.  We remain on the premises for collection of orders 9 am 6 pm (Saturday 24th 10am - 3pm) 

Christmas is fast approaching and thoughts turn to celebrations. We have sorted out a range of wines which offer great value and drinking experience. These wines that stand-out. We have used our vast wine experience and contacts to source these wines and taste tested them all so that you can be assured of quality. Check our Festive Selection pages for all the wines..

  

On Tuesday evening our tasting featured the Top 8 Pinot Noirs as Featured in Cuisine, plus two ‘mystery’ additions (Pencarrow 2010, Champion Pinot Noir Air NZ Wine Awards announced last Saturday night) and Crater Rim Lot 7 which received a massive score in the Wine Advocate (USA). 

 

 

 

Of all the Cuisine Pinot Noir tastings we have held, this would have to be the best and most consistent line-ups we have seenThe overall standard was exceptionally high (as it should be) and there were no “what is this wine doing in the line-up?” type wines.

A surprise for many was the Whitehaven Greg – an excellent wine and the ‘return’ of the Giesen name to the top category.  We are quite spoilt by choice at present, with some excellent Pinot Noirs available at what could be considered bargain prices . To be able to purchase world class Pinot Noir at less than $45.00 is amazing.

We ask for everyone’s top 2 wines at the end of the tasting and the crowd picks on the night were (in order of preference) the Amisfield, Whitehaven ‘Greg’, Olssen Jackson Barry, Domain Road, Crater Rim Lot 7 (all of these just separated by one vote each), followed by Wooing Tree, Wild Earth Deep Cove, Giesen Brothers, Thornbury and Pencarrow (equal).  

These are the notes from Cuisine with online prices listed (order via Pinot Noir pages).

We served the wines from number 8 finishing with number 1.

 1 ***** Olssens Jackson Barry Pinot Noir 2009  $42.99

Jewel-like in the glass, flashing blues as well as deep reds, this splendid pinot is equally vivid in aromatics, taste and mouthfeel. Flavours akin to raw red and dark berry fruits, along with a whisper of wild thyme (of which there’s plenty around Olssens’ Bannockburn vineyard), fragrant beetroot and subtle oak complexity, all grow in the mouth. And it has the depth and structure to develop beautifully over the years ahead.

 2 ***** Whitehaven Greg Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009 $32.99

The resurgence of this established label continues with this attractive, bright, concentrated wine. It is rich in sweet dark plum and chocolatey notes, presented in a relaxed and comfortable structure. Try it with wild pork.

Mystery Wine Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2010 $22.99 Champion Pinot Noir ANZWA November 2011 $22.99

Brilliant dusky black cherry colour, full of Pinotness, with wild strawberry, cherry, warm forest, spice and briar notes on the nose. Brilliant tight sinewy autumn forest, whispy and wild, a bit Lindsay Lohan but with more spine and a lot more fine. Lovely long warm earth tannins with a hint of chalk dust. Greatness prevails.

3 ***** Thornbury Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 Best Buy $26.99

Yet again, the Thornbury label provides lip-smacking quality at an eye-popping price. Faded rose and clove scents, great balance and intensity, and a long, juicy finish all contribute to what is a seamless, flowing drink. With its easy charm, it would be an ideal Friday-at-five pinot.  

4 ***** Domain Road Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 $33.99

Since its debut pinot in 2006, this Bannockburn label has regularly starred at Cuisine tastings. Ink-dark, with a punchy fruit presence enriched by oak, the latest rendition is a big wine. Providing lift and elegance are well-managed fruit tannins and acidity. Suggested match: rabbit terrine with dark cherry chutney.

 

Mystery Wine Crater Rim Lot 7 Pinot Noir 2009 92/100 Robt Parker.Com October 2011 (one of the top Pinot Noir scores) $39.99

Medium ruby-purple in color, the Crater Rim Lot 7 Pinot Noir is slightly closed with subtle cranberry, pomegranate and spearmint aromas over earth and chocolate nuances. Medium bodied, it offers plenty of tight knit berry and spice flavors with crisp acid, medium level finely grained tannins and a long finish. Approachable now, it should benefit from another year in bottle and drink to 2016+. 

5 ***** Giesen Marlborough Pinot Noir The Brothers 2009 $32.99

Heading the Giesen winery is a fraternal triumvirate, hence the name of this wine which Ben Glover likened to Grace Kelly. “She’s all grace, slightly angry with the monarchy, but always maintaining her poise.” Admired traits include good ripeness, a whole-bunch herbal twist and an overriding harmony.  

6 ***** Amisfield Pinot Noir 2009 $43.99

Nothing amiss with Amisfield’s current release. A languid, silkiness characterises the texture; plums, spice and dried herb flavours are supported by rich tannins and superb acidity. Definitely a sleeper that will reward at least five years in the cellar.

7 ***** Wild Earth Deep Cove Pinot Noir 2009 Best Buy $31.99

Crafted by the experienced Steve Davies using fruit mainly from the Gibbston, this wine delivers terrific value. Seductive aromatics set up a rich, sinewy mouthful where upfront curranty notes are layered with more savoury, herbal flavours. Match it with slow-roasted pork belly.  

8 ***** Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2009 $38.99

A sexy, Carmenesque quality comes through in this wine’s dark colour, extravagantly floral perfume (lilac, violets) and resoundingly rich, plush fruit presence. There was comment on the spicy oak influence, which the panel felt was justified by the ample fruit.

Marlborough Twin Islands Brut NV Named Sparkling Wine Of The Year

Nautilus Estate of Marlborough is celebrating today after its Marlborough Twin Islands Brut NV as named Best Sparkling Wine of 2011 by leading Australian wine publication Winestate.Made in the traditional method, it’s the perfect choice this Christmas, bringing a touch of finesse to your table without the expensive price tag. The wine retails for NZ$28.

Having only just been launched in Australia, but available in New Zealand for many years, the wine has made a huge impression, beating off more than 1000 other sparkling wines from Australasia to take the best-of-the-year title.

With fine, dry lemon and hazelnut flavours and a long, soft and biscuity finish, Marlborough Twin Islands Brut NV drew the attention of tasting and judging panels in both Australia and New Zealand before being named Winestate’s best.

"I am always really happy to receive a trophy," says Jones, "but even more so when it’s for our more affordable wines. Twin Islands is a great value sparkling wine, made in a very classic style, which makes it perfect for occasions like Christmas or New Year."

Jones says Nautilus Estate has purposefully avoided the current trend of sparkling sauvignon and other non-traditional varietals.

"Chardonnay and pinot noir have been used for the best sparkling wines for centuries and I think they are particularly suited to it."

While our premises remains closed awaiting repairs we can still offer delivery or pick up of your orders.
 
Open Hours For Pickups:
Monday - Friday 9.00 am to 5pm
You may wish to pick up your order from our premises at 188 Durham Street

Christchurch Delivery Schedule:

Due to the large volume of deliveries at present and with the road and traffic situation as it is, we have come up with an informal delivery schedule to give indicative time frames to various parts of the city as listed below. 

Indicative days and areas for local Christchurch deliveries:

Monday - Eastern Suburbs - eg. Mount Pleasant, Sumner to Shirley
Tuesday - Southern Suburbs - eg.St Martins to Westmorland including Hill Suburbs
Wednesday - Northern Suburbs - eg.St Albans to Papanui, Airport, Ilam, Fendalton
Thursday - South West - eg. Riccarton to Hornby, Halswell
Friday - Western Suburbs - A broad sweep from Addington to Papanui

City and displaced CBD (ie.Addington, Middleton) most days as required.

FREE For 6 bottles or more (less than 6 bottles $4.00 per order.) Please note Christchurch City Delivery area does not include Rolleston, Lincoln, Kaiapoi, Lyttleton etc or rural areas surrounding Christchurch.

Out-of Christchurch deliveries will be couriered as usual.

Although our shop remains closed to customers we are now able to process online orders. 
The cordons are coming down, the buildings opposite us are coming down but the grand Vino Fino is Standing Tall. Our building has remained resolute in spite of all the shaking, so we have been able to enter the premises and begin the cleanup. Yes, a lot of stock has been damaged, much of it screwcap damage. As we found with the Sept 7th quake, screwcap bottles do not survive falling to ground very well and even the slightest dent can compromise the wine inside.  The reinforced concrete building itself has suffered no structural damage and will only require repairs to surface cracks. It was green stickered after the quake and an independent engineer has verified no structural damage and we will be be fully functional as soon as possible.
In the meantime we are able to accept internet and phone orders and our delivery service is up and running.