Being Cincinnati's only "boutique winery, wine bar and do-it-yourself winemaking facility," Tino Vino is at the top of the heap for customers interested in creating their own wines. The winemaking process takes anywhere from eight to 12 weeks, depending on what variety of wine you choose, and Heather Stang, Tino Vino co-owner, manager and professional winemaker, can guide you through the process.

All wines start in stainless steel barrels and must go through a fermenting, clarifying and racking process before they are ready to bottle, Stang says. (Racking is a process that removes sediment from the wine.) Some wines, usually reds, also will go through an oaking process. Instead of aging in oak barrels for four to six months, Tino Vino inserts "oak spirals" (which are exactly what they sound like) into the wine and achieve that oaky flavor in only four to six weeks. The oak spirals come in various "toast levels," from light to heavy flavors.

When the wine is ready to be bottled, customers can hold bottling parties with all of their fellow wine enthusiasts while noshing on snacks and wine within the Tino Vino premises. The winery even can provide custom labels to add to the fun.

After the wine is bottled and corked, it's time to hurry up and wait. White and fruit wines need to age for at least four weeks, and to avoid an overly alcoholic forward wine, reds need to age at least six months. "The red wines really need the time to mellow out and age … As it ages, the tannins are going to balance out the alcohol and its going to have a really smooth finish," Stang says.

Since opening in October of 2007, Tino Vino has made quite a splash within the wine scene both in Cincinnati and nationwide. Many of Tino Vino's house varietal wines have won awards. But their most prestigious is the Semillon, which has won more than seven awards, including gold medals at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and the 2008 National Women's Wine Competition. The most popular varietals, however, are the sweet Green Apple Riesling and the Sonoma Country Pinot Noir.

Tino Vino is also a popular wine bar where patrons can just come in for a glass of wine after a long day or try a variety of wine tastings in a relaxed atmosphere. With no dress code; a wide variety of wines to fit everyone's taste; and the official wine bar mascot, Juno the puppy-dog wandering around greeting guests, Tino Vino is a warm and welcoming spot with no pretense. "We’re not your typical snobby wine bar. We're really laid back, and we just want to have a good time," Stang says.

For more information or to schedule winemaking session or private party call (513) 871-8466 (VINO). And be sure to check out Tino Vino's Web site at TinoVino.net.

PHOTO CREDITS

Photos courtesy of Tino Vino

Emily Terbrueggen
		About the author:
		Emily Terbrueggen is Cincy Chic’s editorial intern. Send her an e-mail at eterbrueggen@cincychic.com.
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Last update: 09-11-2009 08:40

Published in : Magazine Items, Social