A rare and properly-cellared mature wine is a unique pleasure. Delfino Fine Wines on NW 23rd in Portland is ready to become your go-to source for rare and vintage wines sourced from around the world.
Claudio and Emilia Delfino started their boutique import and micro-distributor business out of a love for fine wine – and their shared Italian heritage. “We’re doing it almost as a passion,” Emilia says.
They’re exclusive importers of wines from passionate, family-run small producers in Italy. And they also source bottles from library collections, estate sales and auctions of fine collectors from around the world.
Claudio says they travel to Italy throughout the year to visit with small, independent producers, bringing back wines that you can’t get anywhere else in the United States. Along their travels, they also collect single rare bottles from private collections to bring back to Portland. At the end of the day, if you’re ready for a unique discovery, the Delfinos may just be the perfect resource for you.
“Portland is a great place for our business because already so many people love wine here,” Emilia says. Pacific Northwesterners’ appreciation of wine comes from the many excellent local and regional wine offerings. The Delfinos believe the market is ripe to introduce Portlanders to rare and independently-produced wines from other regions, as well.
“Being Italians, we really grew up with the culture of wine. We love wine, and we feel like now wine culture is taking over in Oregon. Millennials are now drinking wine. They know what good wine is. When you go around here, you can find really good chardonnay, cabernet and pinot – but there’s so much more.”
She points to the huge variety of craft beers available on store shelves and in restaurants in Portland. “You have to think that the same thing can apply to wine.”
“There are so many kinds of grapes, so many ways they can be mixed together. That’s why our mission is to import wines that are not known here. There are so many options for people to explore and appreciate.”
While they sell primarily to retail businesses – stores, restaurants and wine bars – the Delfinos also can sell to individuals or groups with a minimum purchase is 20 bottles.
They operate their boutique wine import business at Willamette Wine Storage at NW 23rd and Vaughn. That’s where you can make an appointment to come in for a wine tasting and to learn more about their offerings. Space is limited to three persons at a time, and tastings are by appointment only.
At a recent tasting event, they sampled Sangiovese, Chardonnay and Chianti from Cantine Guidi, a small family winery that’s operated in Tuscany since 1929, taking time to talk about the grapes, growing conditions and production practices that make each wine special. They understand that the enjoyment of a fine wine is about more than just the flavor, it’s about also creating a connection to the story behind each bottle.
Open to rare finds for your retail business, your next event (or for your own pleasure)? Reach out to Emilia and Claudio at Delfino Fine Wine Cellar to schedule a tasting.
Delfino Fine Wines Cellar
at Willamette Wine Storage
1930 NW 23rd Place
Portland, OR 97210
Hours
by appointment only:
Email
