Chardonnay "Sara", 2023 - Renegade Urban Winery

More about this wine: 40% was whole bunch pressed and  60% was destemmed and fermented on the skin. Both fractions fermented in stainless steel and then transferred to a mix of old and new French oak for malolactic fermentation and ageing. Weekly batonnage was applied. It was bottled after light filtration and minimal SO2 addition.

More about this Winery: An urban winery may seem like a mad idea but bear with us a minute…When we started making wine in 2016, we were copycat winemakers. We asked the growers how we should make wine with their grapes, and that’s what we did. We soon realised this was a mistake. Unlike in Europe, there is no strong tradition, legislation or consumer expectation in the English wine industry, so we are not limited in terms of the styles we can or are allowed to make here. On top of that, London has been a centre of innovation, craft, production and quality food and drinks for a long time and, as such, should be leading the charge on new wine styles and winemaking approaches, using both ancient and modern techniques.  So, in 2017, we changed. We now make around 12-14 wines a year, from classical styles with a twist to wines that are entirely unique. Alongside our core range, we make a variety of new styles each year. We produce around 40-60,000 bottles annually. This may sound like a lot, but we are quite small for a commercial winery.

What’s with the eyes? As a UK producer, we wanted to celebrate the best thing about the UK. The weather? No. The people! Each label shows the eyes of a different person who lives in the UK. They may not be born in the UK, they may not have gone to school in the UK, but they're part of this country. They each form a key part of the rich tapestry that makes the UK special. As as urban winery based in London, many of the faces are Londoners. That's just how it's worked so far. Anyone can apply to be on the labels.  Who are they and how did we choose them? They are all random people, in the nicest possible way. They are students, plumbers, researchers, the unemployed, the retired, newspaper editors, receptionists, teachers and HR executives. They are aged between 19 and 70+. They are white, black, Asian, mixed race. They are straight, gay, transgender, queer. They are from all walks of life.