2017
London
Blackbook began with three obsessions: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from cool places, the fast-evolving English wine scene, and London itself. Sergio and Lynsey Verrillo opened their Battersea winery in 2017, building a working cellar beneath the railway rather than beside the vines. Grapes travel in from a small circle of English growers; everything else happens here, in a compact space shaped by the city’s colour, culture and appetite for new ideas. The result is a distinctly urban take on English wine. Single-vineyard bottlings put the growers and their sites centre stage, while small experimental releases keep the range lively. Visitors can step behind the roller door for a tasting, see just how much winemaking can fit beneath an arch, and drink the finished wines within touching distance of the barrels.
Blackbook works with growers whose sites, soils, vine age and clones can deliver fruit with real identity. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay lead the range, supported by carefully chosen parcels for more adventurous releases. In the cellar, tradition meets a light touch: indigenous fermentations, old French oak, time on lees and low-to-zero sulphur where the wine allows. Modern equipment provides precision, but tasting decides the route each parcel takes.
WINEMAKER
Sergio Verrillo grew up in the United States in an Italian-Hungarian family where homemade wine was part of everyday life. After moving to London he worked as a sommelier in restaurants including Maze, Tamarind and Chez Bruce, then swapped the floor for the cellar and graduated from Plumpton College in 2014. Harvests in England, California, Burgundy, South Africa and New Zealand sharpened his feel for cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. At Blackbook, that classical grounding gives him the confidence to keep the winemaking minimal, responsive and full of personality.
The Collection
£50
A finely honed Suffolk Pinot Noir fizz made in Battersea, with four years on lees bringing savoury depth to bright orchard fruit and brisk coastal freshness. Dry, poised and quietly complex, with a precise 5 g/L dosage.
£30
Ripe cherry and red berries meet supple tannins, fresh English acidity and a gentle crack of black pepper. Naturally fermented and barrel-aged, it is vivid, unforced and built to gain detail with time.
£30
Vibrant citrus, tropical fruit and ripe stone fruit sit over a restrained frame of oak, smoke and flint. Mineral, saline and long, with the natural freshness of the English vintage keeping every layer in focus.
Wine bar
Friday: 16:00–21:00
Saturday: 17:30–21:30
Wine bar: Seasonal summer wine-bar hours: Friday 4pm–9pm and Saturday 5.30pm–9.30pm. Outside these hours, visits are by appointment or through a booked winery experience; please check current dates before travelling.
