London Vinopolis

As many of you know, the U.K. is not traditionally known for its great wine.  For the most part, it's mass produced and of mediocre quality.  I realize some of you may think this is an understatement, while others may think it's an overstatement.  Regardless, I don't know anyone that hands-down raves about British wine.  In some instances, it goes hand in hand with British food. 

Now before any of you Brits are insulted, you must know that I am of british heritage, have many british relatives and have been quite a few times.  I love many things about the U.K, but the food isn't typically one of them.  The wine hasn't been a love of mine either.  However, they are doing a lot of revamping of the wine industry over there.  Many of the processes and facilities are being improved and modernized. 

One of the ways that the U.K. is trying to bring focus onto wine is through something called Vinopolis.  It's London's leading wine tasting attraction.  Not just for british wines, but for wines from all over the world.  And not just for wines around the world, this includes whiskies, beers and cocktails as well.  Vinopolis offers wine tasting tours as well as bars and restaurants.  Corporate and other event books are welcomed. 

Set under victorian arches, this 2 1/2 acre site is quite a spectacle.  Even more enticing is the fact that Vinopolis is situated along the River Thames between Southwark and London Bridges.  It is best accessable by foot, tube, or railway as there is no parking area. 

I know you are probably thinking, ugghhh, this is a tourist trap, I'm not doing this.  But I think it's a great way to get to learn about wine and have some fun in one of the greatest cities in the world!  By all means, check out the website and see for yourself. 

Comments

[GollyG]

As a Brit I have to step in here, 'British wine' has not been available for some time, it used to be made from imported grape concentrate and was as horrible as it sounds. English wine by comparison is pretty good, the average bottle s certainly better than, well, average. It's not mass produced because there aren't many vineyard sites in England and land prices mean that you have to by sure of selling your product before planting vines.