English Wine Guide

London, a bustling metropolis known for its rich history and vibrant culture, is also home to a fascinating and often overlooked wine scene—urban wineries in London.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what urban wineries are, how they differ from traditional vineyards, and take a closer look at some of London’s own wineries.

Here are the best of the urban wineries in London that you can visit for a marvelous day out.

Map of urban wineries in London

Here’s a map of urban wineries in London that you could visit.

Does London have wineries?

Yes, London indeed boasts wineries! Despite the urban setting of the city, several wineries thrive within its limits, producing distinctive wines and providing delightful tasting experiences that bring the art of winemaking closer to Londoners.

What is the difference between a vineyard and a winery?

The big difference between a vineyard and a winery is what they do.

A vineyard is basically a field of grapevines, mainly grown for making wine, but also for raisins, table grapes, and grape juice.

In the vineyard, the grapes are grown and picked. On the other hand, a winery is a place where the grapes are turned into wine.

This involves different steps like fermentation, aging, and bottling. Wineries might have their own vineyards, but they can also get grapes from other places.

It is possible to visit both wineries in vineyards in England. But in London, you’ll find wineries rather than vineyards i.e. the grapes don’t grow in London!

What is an urban winery?

An urban winery is like your friendly neighborhood wine spot, right in the middle of the city. Instead of being out in the countryside, these wineries bring in grapes from all over and make and sell wine right there in the urban hustle and bustle.

It’s all about being close to the folks who love their wine and being a real part of city life, often with cool tasting rooms and wine events that really liven up the local scene.

4 Urban Wineries in London to visit in 2024

Here’s a closer look at four urban wineries in London that you can visit in 2024.

Blackbook winery: urban winery London

Located in a railway arch in Battersea, Blackbook Winery focuses on producing wine using grapes sourced from English vineyards.

Their emphasis is on reflecting the terroir of the grapes and showcasing the quality of English viticulture. The wine making philosophy at Black Book Winery is “mixing tradition with innovation,” which feels apt for a London based urban winery!

I love the story of Black Book winery. It was created by a Sergio Verrillo, a winemaker, and his wife Lynsey who seems to be the driving force behind the commercial aspects of the winery. The couple had a dream to have an urban winery in the city that they call home, and they made it happen together!

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What wine does Black Book winery produce?

Black Book winery produces English wine from grapes grown in Essex, East Anglia and Oxfordshire.

The winery is most well known for using two grapes – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. But they also use other grapes to create innovative new blends. As a Chardonnay fan, I particularly enjoy their 2020 Pygmalion – a complex wine which is matured in Burgundy barrels. Delicious.

Black Books Winery: The Low Down

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London Cru Winery: Urban Winery London

Located in the heart of London, London Cru is the city’s first urban winery. Established in 2013, it sources high-quality grapes from across Europe to produce a variety of wines right in central London near to Earls Court. The winery offers tours and tastings, providing a fantastic opportunity for wine enthusiasts to learn about the winemaking process from grape to glass.

What I particularly love about the London Cru ethos is that they are trying to dispel myths around wine – making English wine accessible and frankly, less snobby. This comes across in the winery tag line “Great wine, made in London”. Simple as that!

I really like the idea that anyone can visit this winery, without worrying about how little they know about English wine. Everyone is welcome at this urban winery London.

What wine does London Cru produce?

When London Cru first opened in 2013 they used to import grapes from France. However for the last few years, they now produce only English wine – instead sourcing the grapes from Kent Vineyards.

Now, London Cru proudly produce a range of English wine, including Bacchus, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Pet Nat.

London Cru: The Low Down

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Renegade Urban Winery: Urban Winery London

Renegade is a modern, boutique urban winery based in East London. It is known for pushing the boundaries of traditional winemaking by experimenting with different grape varieties and techniques.

Renegade sources grapes from around the UK (mainly Essex and Herefordshire) and Europe. Originally it produced its wine in a former railway arch in Bethnal Green. But recently, they’ve opened a larger winery in nearby Walthamstow. The winery has a popular bar where visitors can taste and purchase their innovative wines.

Of all the urban wineries in London, I’m particularly fond of the ethos at Renegade. Even down to the name of the brand, their philosophy is all about breaking the mould. Doing new things with grapes that others wouldn’t. And being super ambitious!

Renegade Urban Winery also strives to be as sustainable as possible too.

What wine does Renegade Urban Winery produce?

Urban Winery sources grapes from the UK, but also from around Europe in regions such as southern Italy and northern Spain. The wine made by Renegade Urban Winery is a bit different to what you might be used to – for a start, they love making Pet Nat wines (minimum intervention wines), which look cloudier than normal. A natural alternative to fizzy wine.

Look out for Renegade Urban Winery’s Orange skin contact wines, as well as barrel fermented wines like the “Amy Chardonnay.”

You’ll notice that the labels on Renegades Urban Winery bottles have faces on. Fun fact – these are the faces of real customers of the winery. If the wine continues for another year/ vintage, then they will take a new pic of the same customer a year later. So the label ages with the wine!

Renegade Urban Winery: The Low Down

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Vagabond Winery: Urban Winery London

Vagabond Wines operates both as a winery and a chain of wine bars across London. Their urban winery in Battersea allows them to produce wine onsite, where visitors can engage in tastings and see the winemaking process firsthand. The wine bars are located in various venues around London, including Paddington, Victoria and Clapham.

Vagabond offers an interactive experience, with customers able to sample a wide range of wines produced by themselves and others. The bars are fitted with taps, so you can help yourself to the wines you want to try. I love this concept as it feels super laid back.

When it comes to the vineyards where Vagabond sources it’s grapes – they are all within two hours of London. Keeping things close to the capital. Chief wine maker Jose also grew up on a farm in Sussex, hence the love for English agriculture.

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What wine does Vagabond Winery produce?

Vagabond Winery proudly boasts that all grapes are grown within two hours of London. So first and foremost, Vagabond Winery produces English wine.

Bestsellers include the quirky Pet Not Pinot Noir, Bacchus, Dios Mio and the still Pinot Noir. Vagabond Winery strives to make unique wines that you won’t find elsewhere.

Vagabond Winery: The Low Down

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Where to next?

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