345522 Fri Nov 24 23:38:13 -0800 2006 1 18 Manhattan 0 2045558 Has anyone been to Tinto Fino, a new all-Spanish wine store in New York City? Rich Fri Nov 24 23:38:13 -0800 2006 39783 RichardA 1 2068212 Yesterday I made it to the East Village and visisted Tinto Fino. Mani Dawes, one of the owners of Tia Pol, recently opened Tinto Fino, an all-Spanish wine store. It is located at 85 First Ave., between 5th & 6th Streets. It is open Tues.-Sat., noon-10 p.m. & Sun., noon-8 p.m. Telephone # is 212-254-0850. They do not have a website yet. Tinto Fino is a tiny, rectangular Spanish wine store. On each of its two long sides there are tables of wines, broken down by geographical area. They probably have around 150 or so different wines, including Cavas and Sherries. Prices range from around $10-$100, with a couple of wines that may be above or below this range. Prices appear average and there is a 10% discount if you buy 6 or more bottles. Selection is very good, including the familiar Tempranillo based wines as well as less familiar varietals such as Bobal and Mencia. I would say I had only seen about 20% of the specific wines before, in other stores. This means there were plenty of new wines for me to select. In the end, I did buy a case, including a couple sherries. As this is a very new store, I am sure their selection will continue to grow over time. The owner, Mani Dawes, was at the store when I visited and she helped make my experience even better. She is very personable and obviously quite knowledgeable about Spanish wines. She gave me some advice on selecting sherries, as well as information concerning the specific bottles I was going to purchase. She possesses a true passion about Spanish wine, a trait I always seek in wine store owners. If anyone visits the East Village, and enjoys Spanish wine, I strongly recommend that they take a visit to Tinto Fino. Richard Mon Dec 04 16:05:46 -0800 2006 2045558 39783 RichardA