London Cru is showing people what really goes into making wine

The two-year-old winery based in the capital is the brainchild of Adam Green, a business director of wine merchant Roberson

The fragrance of fermenting wine and new oak wafts its way down Seagrave Road in Fulham. The source of this unusual aroma is London Cru, a two-year-old winery based in the capital. Since it normally takes half a day to get to the nearest European vineyard, I was pleased to be visiting a working winery on my doorstep. My internal compass spinning, I found myself on a grey London street, tasting a fermenting Galician albariño made by an Aussie winemaker.

London Cru is the brainchild of Adam Green, a business director of wine merchant Roberson. Seeing the success of craft brewing and urban wineries elsewhere, he felt that it was time to show people what really went into making wine. Gavin Monery, an experienced Western Australian winemaker, came up with a business plan, which Cliff Roberson and Will Tomlinson funded.

"The key thing with this project was to be about quality," said Gavin. "The growers we work with are among the best in their regions." He finds them through word of mouth recommendation and maintains regular contact with them. Shortly before harvest, he commissions his own refrigerated trucks, going over to supervise the whole process.

The proof is in the tasting. The 2014 Sandhurst Vineyards Bacchus from Kent was rich with elderflower and had a mouthwateringly crisp aftertaste; the chardonnay from the Roussillon surprisingly white, Burgundy-like, in fact, with a touch of peachy fruit. The Italian red, a Barbera d'Alba, had the grape's damson fruit quality and a lovely texture.

Two reds from Calatayud in Spain followed: a juicy, blackberryish, smooth-textured grenache and a richly concentrated and spicy syrah. A smooth blackcurranty Languedoc cabernet tinged with herb brought up the rear.

I was also impressed with The Spirit of London, £16, a vibrant mulberry and raspberryish blend specially commissioned for Marks & Spencer. The downside is that red Eurocratic tape prevents London Cru from putting vintage or grape variety on the label, but they're working on that too.

For details of wines, prices, tours and tastings, visit londoncru.co.uk