About us...
The Urban Wine Company has grown from a simple idea. Grapes growing in the garden were going to waste - the only beneficiaries of the grape glut were the local birds. In France, Richard Sharp saw villagers working together to bring in the grape harvest and noted the camaraderie and common purpose bringing them together. He rounded up a group of friends in Tooting, South London who pooled their grape crop and pressed 20 bottles of “Chateau Tooting - Furzedown Blush” in 2007. The wine was soon polished off and the contagious enthusiasm for Urban Wine attracted new members from across London and beyond. By exploiting the urban micro-climate, we can make a sustainable (and delicious) local product.
Over 1.5 tonnes of grapes were collected at the 2009 harvest which made an astounding 1000 bottles of professionally produced wine. The wine has received the thumbs up from experts, describing the Rosé as ‘crisp, dry and elegant’. The Urban Wine Company is on a mission to reach more urban grape growers and plant vines across the capital.
Who’s Who at the Urban Wine Company?
RICHARD SHARP founded the Urban Wine Company in 2007. He is committed to championing the Urban Wine Movement with an on-going series of talks and wine tastings at festivals and foodie-events. He juggles his day-job as a Project manager/’General Fixer’ within Urban Regeneration with free-lance journalism assignments.
LUCY BARON THOMSON runs Urban Wine HQ. She has a background in PR and Event Manage- ment having previously organised courses at the Chelsea Physic Garden, working for The English Gardening School.
GWEN McCANN is ‘The Vine Dr.’ She has a BSc in Viticulture and Oenology (Vinegrowing and Winemaking). She has worked in vineyards and wineries in England and France and has edited a number of wine books.