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With a Glass of Wine in Hand

An Educational Adventure at Vinopolis

By Erika Wright

An Early Preoccupation with Wine

The earliest account of the cultivation of wine is mentioned in the Old Testament when Noah planted a vineyard and made wine. One of the first exhibits greeting visitors to Vinopolis, London’s wine museum, is a tribute to this long history; a selection of clay cups, pots and containers, used to filter wine and to perform rituals in Georgia from 4,000 B.C.. Believed to be one of the earliest wine-producing regions in the world, evidence suggests that Georgia has been producing wine for 7,000 years. Ancient grape stones and fragments of earthenware have been discovered at archeological sites in the southern part of the country. The discovery of ritual drinking vessels at cult rite sites indicate that vines and wine were part of ritual ceremonies there. Indeed, wine has been used as medicine, currency, and for various rituals, including religious rites throughout history.

Why Vinopolis Was Made for Me

I have always been interested in wine. I’ve marveled at the beautiful bottles lining the shelves of wine shops and grocery stores. Yet like many people, I found myself staring, mystified with no idea how to choose one or what makes a ‘good’ wine better than the rest.

One might say that there is some stigma of snobbery unjustly associated with the understanding and appreciation of fine wines which, I think, tends to intimidate the uninitiated. Recently, I heard someone on a television show pose the question ‘how do you know a good wine?’ and the answer was ‘it’s quite easy. There’s always a quality rating in dollars on the side.’ Again, a sentiment which I admit did, on more than one occasion, inform my decision one way or the other.

I was thrilled to find out that there exists, right in the middle of London, a wine museum. And not just the sort of museum where you wander around looking at things that you’re not allowed to touch, but an interactive journey where the visitor has the opportunity to learn about the different wine growing regions and how to properly taste wine, and is then turned loose on tables stocked with wines from around the world for a unique opportunity to compare and contrast; an experience with advantages for novice as well as advanced palates.

An Introduction to the Wine Museum

Vinopolis is the world’s only attraction dedicated to the history, production and enjoyment of wine. Spread out over two and a half acres, the museum encourages visitors to taste wine from all over the world. It also explores the relationship between wine and food and gives useful information like how to tell if a wine is corked, technical details about wine production and stories linked to the history of wine making.

Situated in one of the oldest parts of London, Bankside, Vinopolis is a beautiful venue set under impressive Victorian arches in an old Viaduct which was built in 1866 by the South-Eastern Railway Company. The architects managed to make the museum modern and chic while retaining the old brickwork, giving it a warm atmosphere.

Vinopolis was conceived of by Duncan Arbuckle, a successful wine merchant who realized from talking to his clients that there was a real interest in wine; how it’s made and how to enjoy it. The museum was built from scratch in 1999. At that time, it started by offering an intense 4 hour tour. Now they offer different packages which cater to different levels of interest and experience.

The museum is conveniently located near the London Bridge tube station, and is within easy walking distance to the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, Clink Prison and the fantastic London Borough Market which, according to its website, has existed in various forms (near if not on its present location) as early as AD 43 and has been a recognized institution since 1276. One can well imagine William Shakespeare, who said ‘good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used,’ roaming these streets with a bottle in hand. Wine and food have been central to this area of London for many hundreds of years which is further evidenced by Roman remains which were found on the site where Vinopolis now stands and are on display next to the ticket counter.

The ‘How to Taste Wine’ Experience

So one rainy day in London, I had a substantial meal, met a friend and embarked on the Explorer Package (the intermediate level) which takes roughly three hours. Any insecurities I may have started with instantly disappeared. I found that I was in good company with people of varying levels of wine knowledge and lack thereof. We started our tour with the 20 minute ‘How to taste wine’ session. The knowledgeable wine expert went through the basics of sight, smell and taste which are paramount to a good understanding and tasting of wine. We learned how to swirl the glass to look for the ‘legs’ which indicate how much alcohol is in the wine, and how to tell if it is an old or a young wine by looking at the rim against a white background.

When told to put my nose into the glass and take a sniff, I was a good sport.  At first all I could smell was wine. But then, as I thought about the different options (fruity, floral, vegetal, or spicy) I did begin to glean a hint of pear and maybe some honey. Once I could smell those elements, I found I could taste them as well. It completely changed my experience of the wine. We were told that taste is actually more about the nose than the tongue. The tongue can only distinguish sweet, bitter, acidic and salty. Everything else that we taste, we actually smell. The human nose can distinguish around 10,000 smells. This is not an adventure for the nasally challenged.

The Museum Experience

The layout of the museum is based on global wine producing regions. Making my way through the museum, I found informative placards every step of the way. I learned a fair bit about champagne, for example that the bubbles in champagne initially were a flaw in the wine, but connoisseurs soon requested it and so it became what it is today. Vinopolis is expanding the champagne section toward the middle of September at which time they will open a champagne bar with more information and tasting opportunities.

I was also quite interested in the placard describing what it meant for a wine to be organic, about the process, and why organic wines, although just as susceptible to flaws as other wines, often taste better. The staff is also knowledgeable; I learned from one of the staff that vintage refers to wine made in one batch to ensure it has the same taste. These are often the hallmark wines of the producers.

I was particularly interested in the fact that there are two different types of Oak used in making wine barrels. European (mainly French) which might offer the wine a spicy cedar aroma and American barrels which, because they have a more open grain, might offer the wine a strong vanilla aroma. In fact, you can be sure that if there is a vanilla aroma, oak was involved. Wooden staves or oak cubes or chips can be added to impart flavor and are cheaper than using barrels, but the flavors do not last as long and the taste is often harsher. Finally, the insides of the barrel caramelize during the heating process which bends the staves into a barrel shape, and this caramelization also imparts flavor into the wine. Winemakers can specify the amount of caramelization or ‘toast’ when ordering barrels. Oak adds body and texture to a wine, making it seem thicker and creamier and adding toasty coconut flavors.

I’m not giving too much away; there is plenty more to be learned about wine at Vinopolis.

Wine Tasting and Education

Making my way to the tasting tables I saw bottles of wine from places such as; Asia, Australia, South Africa, Germany and Britain, as well as France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. I also tried wines from Georgia and from Israel. As a native Californian, I have taken some slack from Italian friends when it comes to wine. However, with the chance to taste well chosen wines from both regions side by side, I have to say that my untrained palate was just as pleased with the wines from my home state as their European counterparts.

Don’t worry if you get into the museum and realize that you just have to try more wines … there are always more tasting tickets available for purchase.

My education continued as I made my way further through the museum. I learned that Chardonnay is a wine variety and a very versatile one at that which is used in every wine producing country in the world. ‘From its Burgundy home, Chablis and most white Burgundy wines are made from Chardonnay’.

I also learned that Riesling, which is often looked down upon by wine lovers, was more popular and expensive in the1900’s than the finest red Bordeaux wines. Riesling suffered from mass production of cheaper and poor quality samples during many difficult years in Germany, but is beginning a revival today. There are many imitations, so if you want a good Riesling, choose a Rhine or Johannisberg variety.

Wines from my native California suffer from a similar reputation problem. In 1889, California wines won 20 of 34 awards at an international wine tasting competition in Paris. However, prohibition in the 1920s severely hurt California’s wine production. Many wineries were abandoned and inferior products followed. Today, although California produces a great number of excellent wines, it still bears some brunt of the reputation from that time.

Absinthe Anyone?

After 5 wine tastings apiece, we made our way to the Absinthe table. Absinthe enjoys a mysterious and slightly naughty reputation, conjuring images of turn of the century Paris and the Moulin Rouge and having been famously consumed by tortured artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec. The ritual of preparing the Absinthe was mysterious of its own accord. First a shot of strong mint or licorice flavored alcohol was poured into a cup. Then a spoon with a sugar cube on top was dipped into the alcohol and lit on fire with a lighter. Eventually the sugar melted completely off the spoon and into the glass at which point it was mixed into the absinthe and water was added to make a refreshing drink.

Whisky

After the Absinthe, we made our way to The Still Room to learn about whisky - single malts and blends – its heritage, production methods and how to enjoy it. The staff were very helpful in explaining how to sniff the whisky and how to properly enjoy the tasting experience. You will also learn about Scotch Whisky distillation, blending, and the rich culture and history of whisky.

Vinopolis has a great whisky shop (the Whisky Exchange) with over 1,500 single malts from Scotland and 500 others which include selections from America, Japan and Ireland. They range in price from 10 to 30,000 pounds a snip! Examples include a large selection of rare and old whiskies, such as a 1945 bottle of Macallan-Glenlivet to a Cask Strength Johnnie Walker 200th Anniversary in a Baccarat Crystal Decanter.

Bars and Restaurants

From there we headed over to the ‘Bombay Saphire Experience’ that is now a part of the museum as well. I loved my ginger vanilla cocktail which was light and fresh and not too sweet. In this part of the museum, visitors can explore the complex distillation process which makes Bombay Sapphire ultra-premium and unique from all other gins.

At the end of the tour, I also took advantage of 2 beer tastings at Brew Wharf which serves as a brewery, restaurant and bar. The menu offers such traditional favorites as choucroute and knuckle, moules marinieres, ham hock, frites. In addition to beer, they also have a nice wine list. www.brewwharf.com

If you’re still hungry, you can also head over to Cantina Vinopolis which serves modern cuisine with a Mediterranean influence and has an expansive wine list with wines from around the world. www.cantinavinopolis.com

There is also the trendy Bar Blue at the entrance of Vinopolis with a modern and open atmosphere and a fully stocked bar. This is a great place to relax and visit with friends.

Finally, there is also Wine Wharf which has a menu of wine friendly dishes and boasts a ‘creative wine list’ which includes more unusual boutique wines. www.winewharf.com

Classes and Educational Opportunities

For those who want to take their wine knowledge to the next level, in addition to the regular tour packages available, Vinopolis also offers a tutored wine tasting tour. In addition they offer whisky, wine and cocktail Master-classes, and they also offer wine tasting classes with Oz Clarke, one of the world’s leading wine experts.

I personally am very excited about the Food and Wine workshop where one learns how food and wine work together and how best to pair them. Five wines are tasted alongside selected foods with a sixth wine sampled following a food preparation display. The same idea applies to the Cheese and Wine workshop.

Entertainment, Corporate and Private Venue & Shopping

Always looking for new ways to entertain their guests, Vinopolis has teamed up with Catamaran Cruisers to offer a combined wine tasting / sight seeing experience. This is an unlimited day pass on a hop-on hop-off cruise along the river Thames allowing guests to see the sights of London and also enjoy the Vinopolis Classic tour.

Vinopolis has a first rate wine shop where one can purchase the wines by the bottle which were tasted during the tour. They have almost 1,000 different wines. www.majestic.co.uk

Not just an educational facility, Vinopolis is also a great venue for corporate and private events. Capable of entertaining anywhere from 10 to 1,250 people, Vinopolis can help with all aspects of planning an important event. They routinely host bacelorette (hen) parties, weddings, corporate events, holiday and sports events, etc. Contact them to discuss your personal needs by phone 44 (0) 2079408322 or email events@vinopolis.co.uk

From their website you can also sign up for their monthly E-zine.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the ticket counter through the front doors. It is advised to purchase tickets in advance if you would like to visit on Saturday, as it is usually very busy and tends to sell out. Phone 44 (0) 8702414040 (Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM)

Opening Times
Mon, Fri, and Sat: 12-9PM.
Tues, Wed, Thurs, and Sun: 12-6PM.

Prices (in British pounds)
Classic Tour 15.00
Explorer Tour 20.00
Connoisseur Tour 25.00

Check online for classes and packages like a Vinopolis Tour and lunch at the Cantina for 40 pounds.

Vinopolis
No. 1 Bank End
London SE1 9BU 

www.vinopolis.co.uk

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