This year, London Wine Week (14th – 20th May) will be returning to the capital with some old faithfuls and a whole host of new bars joining DrinkUp.London’s efforts to educate, excite and enjoyably inebriate the wine-loving public.
Moving from its original hub in Devonshire Square to Flat Iron Square, London Wine Week will offer its visitors over 500 diverse wines across more than 125 of the city’s best wine bars and restaurants. These include the likes of Renegade, Martello Hall, Vinoteca, Sager & Wilde, Vagabond, Bedales, Ten Cases and Passione Vino, to name but a few. Festival pass holders will benefit from a discounted price-point of wines, starting from just £5. Passes cost £10 per person and can be purchased online and through the DrinkUp.London app.
A full list of the venues and their tasting wine flights or ‘Sip & Snack’ food pairings can be found on the handy DrinkUp.London app, which also showcases the 7-day-long programme of bespoke events, including wine tastings, masterclasses, dinners, pop-ups and parties.
A few highlights include:
ALL WEEK POP-UP WINE BARS
Loire Valley Wines will be celebrating one of its region’s most iconic varieties from its ‘Muscadet Mobile’.
Freixenet will be appeasing those summer rosé cravings with its Vintage Van serving up pink fizz.
Pol Roger is parking up in a Land Rover to serve jeroboams of Champagne alongside a vast selection of their still wines.
Graham’s will be offering visitors light and refreshing White Port and Tonics, this summer’s must-have aperitif.
DAILY HAPPENINGS AT THE LWW HUB
Flat Iron Square’s onsite wine bar Tap & Bottle will be handing over the keys to iconic merchants Berry Bros and Rudd on Tuesday and Wednesday evening for their first ever pop-up wine bar.
From Thursday, Tap & Bottle will then become the first stop on the Wine Tours for a £5 LWW flight. Festival Passholders starting at the Hub will be able to head straight to the bar and enjoy its impressive collection of wines served on tap.
Come Friday, Regal Rogue’s “Rogue Terrace” will pop-up on the outdoor stage with DJs bringing a celebratory soundtrack to the weekend and lashings of vermouth to quaff.
Throughout the week from Tuesday – Thursday, guests will be able to watch as Bolivian artist Edgar Lizarazu creates large images on canvas using red wine as paint. As the wine dries the complexity of the colours changes with the oxidisation to create unique and stunning visuals.
68 Union Street, London SE1 1TD
The Hub is open to all and free to attend (including non-Festival Pass holders) throughout the week however Festival Pass holders will benefit from a discounted price point of wines starting from just £5.
TO EXPERIENCE AN AUSTRALIAN WINERY IN THE HEART OF LONDON
PIKES TAKE OVER AT RENEGADE LONDON WINERY | SATURDAY 19TH MAY
Renegade London Wine, London’s first urban winery and the city’s only winery tap room open to the public, will be hosting a Tap Takeover by legendary Australian winery Pikes for one day only.
Hailing from the Clare Valley, the winemaking team from South Australia have travelled thousands of miles to pour their incredible Rieslings and Reds and bring a taste of their historic and multi award-winning winery to the archway in Bethnal Green.
Sat 19th May, 2pm – 11pm, free entry
Renegade London Winery, Arch 12, Gales Gardens, London, E2 0EJ
FOR WINE AND DINING
LOIRE VALLEY WINES PRESENT OYSTER PAIRINGS AND AN INDULGENT PERUVIAN DINNER
Loire Valley Wines is bringing a taste of the renowned wine region to some of London’s best restaurants throughout the week. From shellfish to ceviche, they will be pairing their delicious wines to a selection of dishes. In partnership with the acclaimed oyster and seafood restaurant group Wright Brothers, Loire Valley Wines is hosting ‘Pearls of the Loire’. The masterclasses will offer a guided tour of the region’s wines paired to 12 different oysters, each served or prepared in different ways.
On Friday 18th May, Loire Valley Wines will be hosting a specially curated dinner with COYA Angel Court. Taking place in the restaurant’s glamorous private dining room, the exclusive dinner will pair the region’s finest wines to a six-course tasting menu of contemporary Peruvian dishes.
Pearls of the Loire
6.15pm on 17th May at Wright Brothers Soho, 13 Kingly Street, W1B 5PW
Midday on 20th May at Wright Brothers Battersea, Battersea Power Station, Circus West Village, SW8 4NN
Tickets: £30 including 12 oysters and six Loire Valley wines
LWW Festival Pass holders will receive a £5 discount on the ticket price
Loire Valley Wines X COYA Tasting Menu
Friday 18th May
COYA Angel Court, 31-33 Throgmorton Street, EC2N 2AT
Tickets: £75 including a six-course tasting menu with paired Loire Valley wines
FOR WINE NERDS
BEDALES PRESENTS ‘THE “PUB” QUIZ FOR WINOS’
Bedales will be hosting a special mini version of their Sunday quiz for Festival goers featuring three wines and three rounds of questions for each ‘blind’ wine – Old World OR New World? Oaked or Unoaked? Name That Grape! Wine, Food, Pop Culture, Weird Facts – it’s all fair game! Highest score during LWW will win a bottle of wine!
The flights will be available across all three of their sites:
Borough: 5 Bedale St, London SE1 9AL
Spitalfields: 12 Market St, London E1 6DT
Leadenhall: 55 Leadenhall Market, London EC3V 1LT
FESTIVAL PASSES AND TICKETS FOR ALL LONDON WINE WEEK EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW AT DRINKUP.LONDON or FROM THE DRINKUP.LONDON APP.