Enoteca

Enoteca (plural: Enoteche) is an Italian word, derived from the Greek word Οινοθήκη, which literally means ”wine repository” (from Oeno/Eno- Οινός "wine", and teca Θήκη, "receptacle, case, box"), but is used to describe a special type of local or regional wine shop that originated in Italy. The concept of an enoteca has also spread to some other countries. A genuine enoteca is primarily directed at giving visitors or tourists the possibility to taste these wines at a reasonable fee and possibly to buy them. An enoteca is often run in collaboration with growers or growers' or tourism organisations in the village or region. The reason such establishments were named to connote ”wine libraries” was that they were intended as a hands-on source of information on local wines rather than as regular outlets for larger quantities of each wine, or primarily intended for established customers. Often, an enoteca stocks rather small amounts of each wine, and customers who wish to purchase large quantities after tasting are referred directly to the producers. In some cases, an enoteca will also sell other local foodstuff and/or serve small snacks to go with the wines.