Sii curioso del vino. Be wine-curious.
That’s the mission statement of Bobbi Pecorino’s Italian Wine Bar, where a world of wine – without pretension – awaits you.
Rob Elvy is passionate about wine. A long-time wine importer, he wanted to bring the authentic atmosphere of an enoteca – an Italian wine bar – to downtown Kingston. Bobbi Pecorino’s is a place for discovery, for exploring fine wine while enjoying great conversation and a little something to eat.
The wine menu, ever changing, lists more than 200 titles at any one time, including some that you won’t find anywhere else in Canada. But first-time guests should not be intimidated. There is no wine snobbery here. You won’t be overwhelmed by unfamiliar terms or intimidated by talk of flavour profiles and tasting notes. What you can expect is to be delighted by wines that are exceptional. You can choose from a selection of featured wines or ask your server for a recommendation. And if you want to learn a little more, Rob can come over to your table and tell you the story behind the wine and maybe even the family that grows its grapes.
“Every one of the 200 or so bottles on our list is a deliberate decision,” says Rob.
Take the Barolo Treturne, a recent acquisition from the Poderi Fogliati in Piedmont, Italy. You might try a glass because it’s listed on the featured wines board. And why is it on the list?
Rob says, “The Treturne is a really great example of a traditional Barolo.” And that is all you may need to know before you enjoy your first sip. If you want to know more about traditional Barolos, Rob is happy to expand. “Traditional Barolo is made with a long maceration time and a long fermentation period in large barrels. This process creates elegance, structure and age ability to the wine.”
He can also talk about Annalisa Fogliati, the Piedmont winemaker who took over her grandfather’s vineyards and began creating small batches of organic Barolo wine. There’s a story behind each of the wines here.
At Bobbi Pecorino’s, you are invited to be wine-curious in a number of ways, from trying out a small three-ounce glass of an unfamiliar wine to taking part in a themed Sunday wine-tasting. There, you may sample wines all from Southern Italy, or all made from grapes grown in volcanic soil.
Wine is the focus of Bobbi Pecorino’s, of course, but just like at any wine bar in Italy, there is no wine without food (and no food without wine). There’s a classic tagliere with assorted cheeses and cured meats. The selection changes seasonally, but there is always a mix of items sourced directly from Italy, as well as from Ontario and Quebec. There’s also fresh mozzarella on the menu, served with garlic toast and your choice of additions, from prosciutto di parma to pesto and semi-dried tomatoes).
And several times a year, the wine bar hosts a wine-tasting dinner, with Rob leading guests through tastings from a specific winery. Often, a multi-course meal to pair with the wines is created by Stev George, co-owner of Bobbi Pecorino’s (and also chef and co-owner of Olivea, an Italian restaurant just down the street). Other dinners have been hosted by visiting winery owners from Italy.
Bobbi Pecorino’s may embody the spirit of a true Italian enoteca, but that doesn’t mean all its wines are Italian. The wine menu boasts the best reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling wines sourced from France, Argentina, South Africa, and Ontario. Rob and his wife, Jacynthe Aubut, recently returned from a wine-scouting trip to France, where they met with wine brokers in Burgundy and Bordeaux to see what they might bring back to Kingston.
At the back of the wine bar, there is a bottle shop with an impressive (and ever-changing) selection of wines. So, after enjoying a glass of Barolo or a Pinot Blanc accompanied by a plate of fresh mozzarella with pesto, you can slip to the back of the bar to get a bottle to take home. It’s probably a good idea: these are not mass-produced wines and your new favourite may not be on the shelf the next time you return.
But if it isn’t, you can be sure that you will find something else extraordinary – your next new favourite – the next time you visit Bobbi Pecorino’s.
Bobbi Pecorino’s
326 King St. E.
pecorinowine.ca
