EnoStore is a new one-stop-shop for wine lovers in the west end

EnoStore is a new one-stop-shop for wine lovers in the west end

The wine accoutrement shop and private-order agency is an oenophile’s wonderland

(Image: Dave Gillespie)

The newest Toronto spot for excellent wine accoutrements is EnoStore, tucked in quiet Annette Village, just northwest of High Park. Partners Pino Piscitelli and Stéphane Fournier have supplied restaurants and wine bars across Canada with racks, glassware and preservation systems for decades. But after fielding more and more requests for their goods from consumers, they quietly opened their retail store in May.

EnoStore
Enomatic dispensing system (Image: Dave Gillespie)

By law, wine cannot be sold on the premises, but Piscitell’s family-run sister company, Wine Lovers Agency, is housed in the same beautiful space and stocks sample bottles from a private-order catalogue. Shoppers can sip them at the tasting bar, then order by the case for delivery to their home, office or restaurant. The wines are preserved in Enomatic dispensing systems, which are also sold at the shop.

EnoStore
Italesse (Image: Dave Gillespie)

So what else might you look for while you’re there? Good glassware: thin-rimmed yet durable champagne flutes, mid-size white wine glasses and big-bowled red wine glasses. Riedel of Austria changed the game with grape-specific glasses, and they are worth it for your favourite variety, but there are now dozens of other good names, including Spiegelau, Zalto, Schott Zwiesel and, EnoStore’s brand of choice, Italesse. Stemless glasses are everywhere, and I use them extensively for sipping when I’m moving around the house, but I still think stems are best on the dinner table.

EnoStore
Italian IP Industrie cellar (Image: Dave Gillespie)

Next, a quality decanter. Many are far more convoluted than necessary. I recommend investing in a lightweight, thin and easy-to-handle one with a wide base and narrow neck. Gadgets like a screened funnel for pouring sedimented wines and a decanter-drying stand are nice to have.

You don’t need a custom-built cellar for long-term aging. I’ve found a wine fridge that stores 36 bottles at 13 degrees, like the various sizes of Italian IP Industrie cellars sold at Eno Store, a worthy investment.