Urban wineries: when the city becomes terroir 🍇
- Charlotte FOUGERE
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Tribune of April 15, 2025
By Charlotte Fougère, President of Calice Hospitality and Wines
What if the future of wine tourism was not only played out in the vineyards, but also in the heart of cities?
Born on the west coast of the United States in the 2000s—first in San Francisco, then in Portland— urban wineries are the result of a dual desire: to make wine accessible where people live , and to reinvent the wine tourism experience for urban audiences often far from wine-growing areas. Initially, they were set up in industrial or creative neighborhoods, where one wouldn't expect to come across barrels. But very quickly, these hybrid places became much more than winemaking spaces: they are places of life, of transmission, of encounter , where wine is shared without ceremony, without distance, and without complex.
Faced with rising expectations around experience , mobility issues , and the sedentary lifestyle of urban audiences , urban wineries provide a local, immersive and sustainable response . Less dependent on land, climatic hazards or seasonality, they also offer an agile, adaptable model , attractive to young winemakers, investors or communities. And this model is attractive in Europe , where it is redrawing the contours of wine discovery.
In Paris, La Winerie Parisienne blends grapes from great French terroirs. In Lyon, the CHAI SAINT OLIVE processes grape varieties harvested within an 80 km radius, for 100% local production, in the heart of the 6th arrondissement. In Marseille, Microcosmos Chai Urbain creates micro-vintages from Provençal terroirs, using an artisanal and committed approach. But this model does not only concern metropolitan areas... nor only France .
In Beaune, the micro-winery VINS COUDURIER JUNG offers urban winemaking in the city center, with an educational and tailor-made approach . In Lisbon, Adega Belem Urban Winery set up shop in a former tram workshop to create modern and accessible vintages . In London, Blackbook Winery or Renegade Urban Winery have reinvested old warehouses to create an urban, uninhibited and experimental wine culture .
No need to take the car or plan a trip. One click on Rue des Vignerons , GetYourGuide or Tripadvisor Experiences , and the reservation is made. Tastings, winemaking workshops, creation of personalized vintages… urban wineries offer a first gateway into the world of wine to customers who are often young, urban, and in search of meaning. But they are also places of cultural life : some organize concerts, exhibitions, private events. Wine is a vector of exchange , not an elitist pretext .
What visitors are saying about it after reading online reviews: " Relaxed atmosphere, rich discussions, and amazing wines. A real discovery. " " You understand better what's in a wine when you see the work behind it. And you experience it right on your doorstep. " " You create your own vintage, you taste, you learn, without ever feeling excluded. " These testimonials say one thing: these places are dusting off the wine tourism experience .
For wine industry professionals, urban wineries are much more than a curiosity. They represent a new channel of mediation , a new meeting space with customers that wineries sometimes struggle to reach. Less intimidating, more accessible, more experiential, these urban wineries embody another way of enjoying wine. But far from replacing wine estates, they are often the gateway. They arouse curiosity, spark interest, open dialogue—and make people want to go further, higher, deeper into the terroirs. They create an initial connection with audiences who often wouldn't have crossed the threshold of a winery on their own. And once this connection is established, the full richness of the vineyards can be expressed.
For the estates, these concepts are therefore an opportunity for diversification, visibility, and the conquest of new customers . They can also be a lever to amplify the impact of their storytelling , test new wine tourism offers or partner with relay places in urban areas to reach target markets. One does not exclude the other: quite the contrary, they feed off each other.
At CALICE Hospitality and Wines , we support regions, operators and investors who wish to explore this path .
Want to bring wine to the city, and the city to wine? We'll help bring your project to life . The urban wine experience is just beginning.
Discover our services at www.calicehospitality.com
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