London's urban wineries: West to East
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Explore London's urban wineries spanning the breadth of London — all in one day, with tastings, tours and dining at the wineries.
The fruit comes from the English countryside, what London supplies is the winery location. A Victorian gin distillery in Fulham, a railway arch in Battersea, a bar in Canada Water built around its own tanks, and a unit on a Walthamstow industrial estate. This offers a local way for Londoners to experience the exploding English wine scene. One of the routes below runs all year, and two turn on the season. We have proposed these itineraries for the breadth of experience, but any route could work (ensure timings / opening hours are checked).
Curated by Vine Culture
Saturday is the day, and one of the three routes works all year. It is built around London Cru's tour, which runs on set Saturdays and is booked ahead. The seasonal pair turn on Blackbook: its tasting anchors a winter day, and its summer wine bar ends the summer route, after Renegade's Saturday tour. Book London Cru and Blackbook tours and a table at Leo before going; Vagabond takes walk-ins.
The itinerary
All year: London Cru tour, then dinner
Curator’s comment: London Cru's tour opens the afternoon, which leaves the longest stop at Vagabond's bar before the Victoria line out to Walthamstow and an early dinner at Leo. It works only on a Saturday London Cru lists a tour. In summer there is a choice at the start: Blackbook's 4pm tasting can take London Cru's place, and the arch opens as a wine bar at 5.30pm, so a group can stay on before moving east.
Greater London
Curator’s comment: London Cru calls itself London's first urban winery, opened in 2013, and making wine from its own Pinot Noir and Bacchus vineyard in West Sussex. A visit here is a booked tour at the 2:30pm slot.
Winery Tour
14:30 · Also on: Sat 12 Dec, Sat 23 Jan, Sat 27 Feb, Sat 27 Mar
Recommended travel:41 min
Greater London
Curator’s comment: UK's largest urban winery - the bar sits inside a 100-tonne production space with steel tanks, a concrete egg and a solera. No need to aim for a specific time - available for walk-ins.
Recommended travel:1 hr
Greater London
Curator’s comment: Dinner at Leo, the kitchen inside the winery, with the bar a few metres from the tanks and barrels. Dinner available from 6.30pm.
Leo at Renegade
Modern British bistro · Thu–Sun · lunch & dinner
Winter: Blackbook tour, then dinner
Curator’s comment: Blackbook's tour and tasting in the Battersea arch starts at 4pm, standing, and the space is unheated in the colder months, so dress for it. Vagabond fills the early evening and dinner at Leo comes at about 8.15pm. It works only on a Saturday Blackbook lists a tasting.
Greater London
Curator’s comment: Four wines poured standing up among the barrels of a Battersea railway arch, from fruit Blackbook buys from named growers rather than a vineyard of its own. In summer the same arch opens as a wine bar.
Blackbook Urban Winery Experience & Tasting
16:00–17:15 · Also on: Sat 19 Dec
Recommended travel:44 min
Greater London
Curator’s comment: The scale of it: the bar sits inside a 100-tonne production space with steel tanks, a concrete egg and a solera, where Solena, a multi-vintage orange wine, ages under a layer of flor. Vagabond calls it the UK's largest urban winery. On this route the stop runs 6.10–7.10pm.
Recommended travel:59 min
Greater London
Curator’s comment: Dinner at Leo, the kitchen inside the winery, with the bar a few metres from the tanks and barrels. Every Renegade label carries the eyes of a different UK resident, from students to retirees. On this route, dinner is from about 8.15pm.
Leo at Renegade
Modern British bistro · Thu–Sun · lunch & dinner
Summer: Renegade tour, then the arch
Curator’s comment: The route run the other way, and the only one with Renegade's own tour in it. Lunch at Leo and / or the 2pm tour in Walthamstow, then south to Vagabond, and the evening in Blackbook's summer bar in the arch. It works on any summer Saturday. When London Cru runs a 5.30pm tour on a Saturday, it fits between the two: leave Vagabond by 4.42pm, and Blackbook's bar is still open when the tour ends.
Greater London
Curator’s comment: Lunch at Leo, the kitchen inside the winery, then Renegade's own tour. Every Renegade label carries the eyes of a different UK resident, from students to retirees.
Leo at Renegade
Modern British bistro · Thu–Sun · lunch & dinner
E17 Winery Tour & Tasting
Every Saturday
Recommended travel:1 hr
Greater London
Curator’s comment: On this route the stop runs for a suggested 4–5pm slot.
Recommended travel:47 min
Greater London
Curator’s comment: Four wines poured standing up among the barrels of a Battersea railway arch, from fruit Blackbook buys from named growers rather than a vineyard of its own. In summer the same arch opens as a wine bar. On this route the evening, from 5.45pm, is in the summer bar.
Winemaker for a Day
London Cru · 11:00–16:00
Also on: Sat 5 Dec, Sat 16 Jan, Sat 20 Feb, Sat 20 Mar
Winery Tour
London Cru · 14:30
Also on: Sat 12 Dec, Sat 23 Jan, Sat 27 Feb, Sat 27 Mar
Blackbook Urban Winery Experience & Tasting
Blackbook · 16:00–17:15
Also on: Sat 19 Dec
Winemaker for a Day
London Cru · 11:00–16:00
Also on: Sat 7 Nov, Sat 16 Jan, Sat 20 Feb, Sat 20 Mar
Winery Tour
London Cru · 14:30
Also on: Sat 21 Nov, Sat 23 Jan, Sat 27 Feb, Sat 27 Mar
Blackbook Urban Winery Experience & Tasting
Blackbook · 16:00–17:15
Also on: Sat 28 Nov
Winemaker for a Day
London Cru · 11:00–16:00
Also on: Sat 7 Nov, Sat 5 Dec, Sat 20 Feb, Sat 20 Mar
Winery Tour
London Cru · 14:30
Also on: Sat 21 Nov, Sat 12 Dec, Sat 27 Feb, Sat 27 Mar
Winemaker for a Day
London Cru · 11:00–16:00
Also on: Sat 7 Nov, Sat 5 Dec, Sat 16 Jan, Sat 20 Mar
Winery Tour
London Cru · 14:30
Also on: Sat 21 Nov, Sat 12 Dec, Sat 23 Jan, Sat 27 Mar
Winemaker for a Day
London Cru · 11:00–16:00
Also on: Sat 7 Nov, Sat 5 Dec, Sat 16 Jan, Sat 20 Feb
Winery Tour
London Cru · 14:30
Also on: Sat 21 Nov, Sat 12 Dec, Sat 23 Jan, Sat 27 Feb
Leo at Renegade
Renegade London · Restaurant