Vinopolis was a commercial

visitor attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

from 1999 to 2015, operated by Wineworld, London that presented the subject of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

and

oenology Oenology (also enology; ) is the science and study of wine and winemaking. Oenology is distinct from viticulture, which is the science of the growing, cultivation, and harvesting of grapes. The English word oenology derives from the Greek word ' ...

through exhibits and

wine tasting Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onward. Modern, professional w ...

s. Vinopolis closed permanently at the end of .

Overview

Vinopolis was located at

Bankside Bankside is an area of London, England, within the London Borough of Southwark. Bankside is located on the southern bank of the River Thames, east of Charing Cross, running from a little west of Blackfriars Bridge to just a short distance befo ...

, to the east of

Southwark Bridge Southwark Bridge ( ) is an arch bridge in London, for traffic linking the district of Southwark and the City of London, City across the River Thames. Besides when others are closed for temporary repairs, it has the least traffic of the List of ...

, and close to

London Bridge The name "London Bridge" refers to several historic crossings that have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark in central London since Roman Britain, Roman times. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 197 ...

on the southern side of the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

. There was an attached restaurant, Cantina Vinopolis, and wine was available for sale at the attache
Laithwaites
Wine Store. Vinopolis spanned and was devoted to the world of wine, including its history, development, and taste. Within the complex, there was a specialist whisky retailer, ''The Whisky Exchange,'' which offered a range of whiskies and other spirits. The Whisky Exchange also organized various whisky-tasting events throughout the year at Vinopolis.

History

Vinopolis was developed by the wine merchant Duncan Vaughan-Arbuckle. He chose a site beneath the arches of a

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

railway viaduct that was built in 1866 by the Southeastern Railway Company to carry an extension line from

London Bridge Station London Bridge is a central London railway terminus and connected London Underground station in Southwark, south-east London. It occupies a large area on three levels immediately south-east of London Bridge, from which it takes its name. The m ...

over the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

to the north bank. Vinopolis opened on . Its first program was a four-hour guided tour through static wine displays with tastings. The business evolved over the years, and at the time it closed, it operated as both a wine tour and a corporate events venue.

Offerings

In July 2008, the attraction of the "Authentic Caribbean Rum Experience" was opened, which allowed attendees to sample a selection of Caribbean premium rums. The last range of offerings was put in place in Autumn 2012. The site featured wines from around the world. Three self-guided "experience packages" were offered, called "essential", "classic" and "quintessential". Group packages and group guided tours were also available. The wines were served from enomatic dispensers to prevent spoilage. Throughout the year, Vinopolis hosted a range of events featuring wine, spirits, and food. These included a selection of monthly "masterclasses" such as: * "Welcome to wine" (on the first Sunday of each month) * "Welcome to cheese and wine" (on the second Sunday of each month) * "Cocktail-making masterclass" (on the first Thursday of each month) * "Whisky masterclass" (on the third Thursday of each month)

References

{{coord, 51, 30, 24, N, 0, 5, 33, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title 1999 establishments in England Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Southwark Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Southwark Wine industry organizations Wine tasting Defunct tourist attractions in London