Our Top Picks For Luxury Wine Tasting Experiences in London
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One of the finest luxury experiences in London has to be that of wine tasting. Whether you are a long-time wine connoisseur, or if you find it difficult to tell the difference between a Merlot and a Malbec, London’s wine scene caters to all levels of wine knowledge and offers an array of exquisite tastings that will help deepen your appreciation for the world of fine wines.
At Sanctum, we endeavour to provide a full range of expertise and advice for our guests and have researched some of the premium wine tasting experiences in London to help you select a unique excursion that becomes a highlight of your time in the capital.
The Best Wine Tasting in London
Don’t have time to read all the in-depth details of London’s extensive luxury wine tasting options? Here’re our quick picks:
- Berry Bros. & Rudd – London’s first wine merchant, no one knows wine better than the sommeliers at BBR.
- 67 Pall Mall – It’s exclusive for members, so best for regular visitors to the capital, but the wine tasting experiences, like-minded enthusiasts, and comprehensive wine cellars make 67 Pall Mall a desirable location for every wine connoisseur.
- Chapel Down Winery – Just over an hour from London, the Chapel Down vineyard offers the full wine tasting experience with a tour of the vineyards and more. If you really love wine, it’s a must-do excursion.
London Wine Tasting - A Luxury Experience
Unlike the more traditional excursions such as visiting the Tower of London or enjoying a West End show, wine tasting for two offers a unique and education experience that will remain with you throughout your life.
For those to whom understanding wine feels elusive, a wine tasting experience with any of the incredible London sommeliers will boost your confidence when ordering wine, as well as helping you further enjoy this traditional drink and its many varieties.
Those who are already enthusiasts will enjoy expanding on their knowledge, finding new wines, and sharing their love of the subject with those accompanying them.
It is worth leaving a few hours for a wine tasting – perhaps two hours for the tasting itself and at least an extra thirty minutes or more as you peruse the options available to buy and take home.
For those visiting London, wine tasting provides a fun, informative, and different experience to remember for years to come; great for birthday gifts, a different romantic afternoon, or as a corporate group activity.
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Wine Tasting in Central London
With Central London a prime location for wine tasting, there’s no need for Sanctum guests to travel far to enjoy the finest wines in the world. London’s wine specialists have maintained their businesses for decades, sometimes centuries, proving their expertise and passion.
1 - Berry Bros. & Rudd
We start with Britain’s oldest wine merchants. Established in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd have been in the wine business for over three centuries and boast some of the world’s finest wines as well as being home to the world’s finest sommeliers.
Berry Bros. & Rudd offer a range of wine tasting experiences depending on your expertise on the subject. With Wine School Tastings for beginners to sample different themes and regions of wine, thought the Tutored Tastings, where their expert team will focus on a specific theme such as wine from a particular region or vintage, through to the Fine Wine Tastings for a luxury experience for the true enthusiast.
2 - Hedonism Wines
Located in Mayfair, Hedonism Wines boast a selection of over 7,000 wines and offer curated London wine tasting experiences for all. These include their masterclasses, where their knowledgeable team will guide participants through a selection of wines from a range of themes such as grave variety or style of wine, and the exclusive “wine dinners”, a gourmet meal with a special focus is on the accompanying wine, designed to explore the harmony between food and wine.
3 - 67 Pall Mall
67 Pall Mall is a private members’ club for wine lovers in London. While it is not recommended for those who visit London infrequently, wine aficionados who are regular travellers to the capital would benefit from membership and all the perks that come with it.
Members are given access to the club’s extensive wine cellar, as well as being invited to their exclusive wine tasting events and masterclasses. Not only that, but socially, 67 Pall Mall caters to the true wine enthusiast, bringing like-minded people together for a unique London experience.
With a focus on wine education, 67 Pall Mall really is the perfect option for those with a strong passion for the subject.
4 - La Cave à Fromage
Wine has been paired with cheese for centuries, and for good reason. At La Cave à Fromage, wine tasting experiences are as much cheese tasting as they are wine, giving guests a fantastic understanding of both and educating on how they complement each other.
They offer regular wine and cheese tasting events with expert cheesemongers and sommeliers together to host, as well as offering private customised tastings for those looking for a personalised experience.
A fantastic opportunity for lovers of both wine and cheese.
5 - The Winery, Maida Vale
A small independent shop, The Winery in Maida Vale is growing its reputation as one of the best locations for wine in North London and offers monthly wine tastings alongside its regular business as a premium wine merchant in the area. Located less than a mile from Sanctum’s Maida Vale apartments, many Sanctum guests have enjoyed the professional expertise and wide range of fine wines available.
Wine Tasting at Vineyards
While the inner city London wine experts offer an incredible range of experiences, for some, visiting a vineyard is part of the charm of a wine tasting. Travel just a few miles from the city borders, and there is a range of excellent vineyard that offer wine tasting and tours of their estates.
6 - Chapel Down Winery, Tenterden, Kent
One of the largest and best-known vineyards in the UK, Chapel Down offer guided tours alongside wine tastings to experience their award-winning wines. With over 500 acres of vineyards throughout Kent, Sussex, and Essex, Chapel Down grapes benefit from the region’s favourable climate that has been said to be similar to that of the ever-famous Champagne region of France. Chapel Down has a range of still and sparkling wines, including an award-winning sparkling wine, Chapel Down Brut.
For tasting, their Kent vineyard has a dedicated tasting room, where guests are invited to enjoy the specific characteristics and flavours of each wine. The on-site restaurant means that there’s no need to leave the site early to dine, with a menu of seasonal dishes that are, of course, accompanied by complementary Chapel Down wines.
7 - Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey
Just over an hour from London lies Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey. Boasting not only a wine tasting experience, their “Indoor Winery Experience” allows visitors to witness the working winery, explaining the process and adding to the appreciation of their diverse range of wines. Rather uniquely, Denbies also has a train that trundles through the vineyard for a guided scenic tour unlike any other.
With an on-site restaurant offering incredible views as well as delicious food and wine, Denbies is a worthwhile day excursion for wine lovers.
8 - Ridgeview Wine Estate, Ditchling, East Sussex
Specialising in sparkling wine, Ridgeview is another vineyard to take advantage of the region’s conditions and grows classic Champagne grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. An award-winning English winery, Ridgeview offers guided tours of the vineyard and winery, educating visitors on every stage of the wine making process.
In addition to wine tasting in their dedicated tasting room, Ridgeview has other events on the calendar, from vineyard picnics to harvest celebrations, well worth a visit if the timing is right.
Staying in London for Your Wine Tasting Experience
With our range of premium serviced apartments, Sanctum is the natural home-away-from-home for wine enthusiasts in London. Our spacious and private apartments have everything you need to relax while you are here, and are perfectly situated for both Central London wine tasting, and visiting vineyards. Our concierge staff will help you plan your excursion, ensuring that you have the best London wine tasting experience possible.
Book with us today.
