# Fine Wine Reserve > Toronto's premier wine storage facility. Purpose-built, climate-controlled cellar offering private wine lockers, walk-in cellars, custodial case storage, and a private tasting room. Serving over 250 clients caring for 130,000+ bottles since 2004. ## About The Fine Wine Reserve is the only wine storage facility in Toronto designed and built specifically to meet the exacting cellaring conditions required to properly age fine wine. Founded by CEO Marc Russell, the facility opened in January 2004 after an 18-month search of 107 properties and a $600,000+ retrofit investment in advanced climate control, security, and purpose-built infrastructure. The 5,500 sq ft facility serves over 250 customers ranging from beginners with a few cases to connoisseurs with exemplary lifetime collections. Notable clients and visitors include wine experts Tony Aspler, David Lawrason, John Szabo, Zoltan Szabo, Steve Thurlow, and Michael Vaughan. The facility is also home to the Toronto chapter of La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. The Fine Wine Reserve has been profiled in the National Post, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Profit Magazine, and numerous other media. ## Contact - Phone: 416-593-WINE (416-593-9463) - Email: info1@finewinereserve.com - Website: https://www.finewinereserve.com ## Locations ### Fine Wine Reserve I — Self-Storage Wine Locker Facility - Address: 439 King St. West, Toronto, ON M5V 1K4 - Hours: 24/7/365 access, by appointment only - Services: Private wine lockers, walk-in wine cellars, private tasting room ### Fine Wine Reserve II — Bulk Case Storage Facility - Address: 190 Queen's Plate Drive, Etobicoke, ON M9W 6Y9 - Hours: Generally Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm, appointment recommended - Services: Custodial case storage, cellar management services Note: All cellar locations are high-security, disguised facilities with no exterior signage. Please contact for directions. Cellar tours are welcomed. ## Storage Services ### Private Wine Lockers (Self-Storage) Private, individually alarmed wine lockers at the King Street West facility. Sizes range from 8-case (~96 bottles) to 96-case (~1,152 bottles). 24/7/365 access with no appointments required. Deposit, withdraw, or visit your collection as often as you wish at no extra charge. All lockers are individually alarmed and monitored 24/7 by a central monitoring station. Monthly rates (paid annually with 10% discount / paid quarterly): - 8-case locker: $59–$65.55/mo - 16-case locker: $90–$100/mo - 24-case locker: $126–$140/mo - 32-case locker: $158–$175.55/mo - 40-case locker: $189–$210/mo - 48-case locker: $207–$230/mo - 96-case locker: $378–$420/mo - One-time setup fee: $95 ($155 for 96-case units) - HST extra ### Walk-In Wine Cellars (Self-Storage) Private walk-in wine cellars ranging from 2,400 to 7,200 bottles. Prices start at $735/month. 24/7/365 access, no appointments needed. Individually alarmed and monitored. Ideal for collectors transitioning from home cellars. Monthly rates: - 200-case cellar (2,400 bottles): $735/mo - 300-case cellar (3,600 bottles): $1,050/mo - 400-case cellar (4,800 bottles): $1,360/mo - 600-case cellar (7,200 bottles): $1,885/mo - One-time setup fee: $95 ($155 for 600-case units) - HST extra ### Custodial Case Storage Per-case bulk storage at the Etobicoke facility. Ideal for excess cases, temporary storage during moves or renovations, or large collections. Cases are inventoried and pulled for pick-up or delivery on request. Cellar management services available including detailed wine inventories, home delivery, and direct delivery coordination from LCBO and wine agents. Monthly rates per case: - 1–50 cases: $3.95/case/month - 51–100 cases: $3.60/case/month - 101+ cases: $3.10/case/month - Handling Plan #1 (no access): free - Handling Plan #2 (access required): $5.00/case - Bottle inventory: $2.00/line item, $5.00 min/case - HST extra ## Tasting Room An intimate, elegantly decorated private tasting room at the King Street West facility. Located in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District. Available for private functions including wine tastings, sales meetings, board meetings, closing parties, and client appreciation events. Equipped with stemware, decanters, dishware, utensils, appliances, and audio entertainment. Members can bring their own food, beverages, and preferred caterers. Requires a Tasting Room Membership and booking via TRC (Tasting Room Credits). ## Event Services In partnership with Certified Sommelier Heather McDougall of Sips Toronto, offering guided tastings, wine education, greeting and hosting services, and simple catering in the tasting room. - Contact: Heather McDougall, 647-656-1531, info@sipstoronto.com, https://www.sipstoronto.com ## Wine Agents The Fine Wine Reserve partners with wine agents and wineries to promote wines directly to collectors. No commissions, no service fees, no up-charges. Agents can host occasional wine tastings at the cellar. FWR consolidates multiple client orders into single deliveries and does not compete by selling wine. ## Climate Control The cellar is maintained at a constant 55°F (±0.5°F) / 12.8°C with humidity between 65% and 75% RH. The building envelope was fully upgraded to professional cellaring standards. Advanced cooling, humidification, dehumidification, and air-handling systems protect against all environmental threats: improper temperature, humidity extremes, temperature fluctuation, excessive light, odour, and vibration. Real-time environmental monitoring and equipment redundancy ensure long-term reliability. ## Security Multi-layered "inside-out" security strategy using state-of-the-art monitoring technology, qualified security personnel, and 24/7 professional monitoring and response. The cellar space is certified for high fire and flood protection. Every locker and cellar is individually alarmed. ## Wine Storage Education ### The Six Critical Elements of Proper Wine Storage 1. **Temperature**: Ideal storage at 12–13°C (54–55°F). Range of 4–18°C is acceptable. 2. **Temperature Stability**: Fluctuations must stay within 2–3°C. Gradual seasonal shifts are acceptable; rapid changes are harmful. 3. **Humidity**: Maintain above 50% RH, ideally 65–75% RH. Prevents cork drying and oxidation. 4. **Ventilation**: Good air circulation prevents musty odours from affecting wine through the cork. 5. **Light**: Store away from direct sunlight and fluorescent lighting. UV rays degrade wine. 6. **Vibration**: Minimize vibration which disturbs sediment and can accelerate chemical reactions. ### Wine Serving Temperature Guidelines - Full-bodied reds (Bordeaux, Rhône): 18°C / 64°F - Medium-bodied reds (Burgundy, Rioja): 16°C / 61°F - Light-bodied reds (Beaujolais): 12–14°C / 54–57°F - Full-bodied whites (Oaked Chardonnay): 12°C / 54°F - Light-bodied whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling): 8–10°C / 46–50°F - Sparkling wines (Champagne): 6–8°C / 43–46°F ## Key Pages - [Home](https://www.finewinereserve.com/) - [Company History](https://www.finewinereserve.com/company.php) - [Private Wine Lockers](https://www.finewinereserve.com/private_cellaring.php) - [Walk-In Wine Cellars](https://www.finewinereserve.com/wine_cellars.php) - [Case Storage](https://www.finewinereserve.com/case_storage.php) - [Wine Locker Rates](https://www.finewinereserve.com/rates_private.php) - [Case Storage Rates](https://www.finewinereserve.com/rates_case.php) - [Tasting Room](https://www.finewinereserve.com/tasting_room.php) - [Book Tasting Room](https://www.finewinereserve.com/book_room.php) - [Event Services](https://www.finewinereserve.com/event_services.php) - [Climate Control](https://www.finewinereserve.com/climate.php) - [Security](https://www.finewinereserve.com/security.php) - [Insurance](https://www.finewinereserve.com/insurance.php) - [Wine Storage Facts](https://www.finewinereserve.com/facts.php) - [Serving Temperature Guide](https://www.finewinereserve.com/guidelines.php) - [Wine Agents](https://www.finewinereserve.com/wine_agents.php) - [Contact Us](https://www.finewinereserve.com/contact_us.php) - [Events Calendar](https://www.finewinereserve.com/events.php) - [FAQ — Wine Lockers](https://www.finewinereserve.com/faq_private.php) - [FAQ — Case Storage](https://www.finewinereserve.com/faq_case.php) - [FAQ — Tasting Room](https://www.finewinereserve.com/faq_tasting_room.php)