Vinopolis was a commercial

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

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 and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, operated by Wineworld, London that presented the subject of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

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 2015.

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 befor ...

, to the east of

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

and close to

London Bridge Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It r ...

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, se ...

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

whisky tasting Whisky tasting is the analysis of whisky through visual examination, taste and aroma. Whisky tastings are often conducted in groups of people, either for reference purposes or as a social activity. More recently, whisky tastings have become a vi ...

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 literature ...

railway viaduct that was built in 1866 by the South-eastern 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 the R ...

to the north bank. Vinopolis opened on 23 July 1999. 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 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