Urban Winery
About Us
Don’t let the compact size of our winery fool you. Serious winemaking is going on here. We’re ardent believers in minimal intervention winemaking resulting in wines that are not only delicious but also have a sense of place. Fortunately that also means we don’t need tonnes of fancy equipment. With just the right basic tools — destemmer, pneumatic press, temperature regulated fermentation vessels and clean oak barrels — we do just enough to allow our grapes and yeast to do the rest.
The Winery
Our winery is simple and compact, reflecting Vagabond's philosophy of working with nature rather than against it. We are a very artisanal, hands-on winery due to the small space that forces us to work slowly and meticulously, that only benefits the resulting wines. In 2022 we were awarded the Sustainable Wines of Great Britain Trademark in recognition of our work to reduce and minimise the environmental impact of our winemaking.
The Wine
Our vineyards are all within two hours of London. We harvest by hand in the early morning before transporting the grapes to the winery, where they are gently sorted and processed. The juice is fermented in a mix of oak and stainless steel to build texture and mouthfeel in the wines, and our ultimate goal is to make the best wines in the UK. As well as making still whites and rosés, we also make skin contact (orange) and Col Fondo sparkling wines. We even make a still red if the growing year allows (like in 2022)!
The Winemaker
Our winemaker Jose grew up on a farm in Sussex and has always had a connection to agriculture. Combined with spending a lot of time in Spain with winemaker friends and family, this has contributed to his passion for wine. With a degree in Viticulture and his WSET diploma, Jose has worked across many vineyards and harvests in the UK and abroad, including Bodegas Comando G, Davenport, Westwell, Henners and Wiston. Now at Vagabond, he’s looking to take the inspiration and knowledge gained from his journey to continue learning and experimenting and to create wines that showcase the potential of UK wine production.
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