Company behind English wine in a can is crowdfunding for an urban winery in London

New start-up The Uncommon, the first company to put English wine in a can, is crowdfunding to raise money for a new urban winery and canning line in south London.

The brand is hoping to raise £25,000 which will go towards the new winery and canning line in London, joining the likes of London Cru and Renegade. In addition, it hopes to expand its current range to include still wines including organic and natural wines as well as a rosé made from English Pinot Noir.

Its first expression, a lightly sparkling Bacchus produced from grapes grown in Surrey, is currently on sale in Selfridges for £4.99 per 250ml.

The new winery, which will be located in Peckham, will include a “state-of-the-art” canning line which will help the company to both satisfy demand and stay true to its eco-friendly credentials.

The site will also include a bar where visitors can sample the range on tap.

After 18 months in development, The Uncommon, was launched by entrepreneurs Alex Thraves and Henry Connell in April this year. The duo sold over 1,000 cans in their first month and have secured contracts with “leading sustainable grape growers” in England for 2019 and beyond.

They are currently working alongside Dorking-based Litmus Wines, using grapes grown at Denbies Wine Estate, but hope to source grapes from other growers that share their values too.

The brand is also driven by a desire to be sustainable and is re-purposing wine corks into labels and using recyclable cans.

Speaking to the drinks business last month they said that they would be taking charge of the canning, which is currently carried out in a facility north of London, in order to achieve “more control”.

The crowdfunding page will remain live for a month and offers perks for donations of £10 and above. Those investing over £1,000 get the chance to choose from a range of ‘experiences’ including an ‘English festival mudbath’ and the ’17:01 from Waterloo’.