Monocle’s Georgina Godwin heads to southwest London to visit The Urban Wine Company, that harvests its bounty from vines across the city.

The Urban Wine Company™ was born out of an idea a few years back. Neighbours Richard and Paul were relaxing underneath a vine enjoying a glass of wine that had been flown half-way across the world. Realising they were sat in an urban garden of Eden surrounded by grape vines, they asked the impossible…
“Would it be possible to make a wine made from London grapes?”

So, in September 2009 they set about harvesting grapes grown in gardens, allotments, behind supermarkets and even at the side of railways. They teamed up with winemaking experts to produce the very first batch of ‘Chateau Tooting’. Pleasantly surprised, if not a little amazed by its ‘Drinkability’ The Urban Wine Company™ was formed. Not only had a fantastic tasting wine been created using grapes grown in a city centre, something unique had also been born.

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