Sustainable Wine With A Twist: A Q&A With The Uncommon

Tell us about The Uncommon. How did it all begin, where did the idea to launch the brand come from?

Henry - The idea had been bubbling for a while. I spent a decade living in the US, where I saw first-hand the success of canned wine. At the same time, I was seeing English sparkling wine beat Champagne in some of the world’s most prestigious competitions.  

It felt like we were onto something - “Why not make a high-quality local wine in this new sustainable format.” It had never been done in the UK, but I knew we had the same open-minded consumers.

Alex - The English wine industry is very traditional, and we thought there was room for some innovation. So we took the leap – quit our jobs, retrained in cool climate grape growing, and gave it a go. 

What sets you apart from other winemakers?

Alex - It was a gamble, but I think being ‘outsiders’ gives us an edge.  We were able to take a fresh look at the industry and design a wine to fit our evolving on-the-go lifestyles — not something that looks like every other wine on the supermarket shelf. 

How do you feel your backgrounds and previous careers across both design and consulting have helped with the growth of the brand?

H - We each have completely different but equally important skill sets. Alex is a very talented graphic designer. I’d seen him create amazing brands for other people and I knew he could do the same for us.  He has an unerring eye for detail. I lean more toward the business/ production side. Less glamorous but someone has to do it. 

A – Henry knows how to make tough decisions. We have our own responsibilities and accountability; I think that makes us good partners.

Similar to us here at Wolf & Badger, The Uncommon puts sustainability right at its core. Can you tell us a bit more about what this involves in terms of winemaking?

H - From day one, The Uncommon’s mission has been simple; to make great quality wine in the right way, with as little impact on the planet as possible. From field, to format, to flute.

It all started with the can. It has a carbon footprint 79% lower than a glass bottle, is easily and endlessly recyclable, and is lighter to transport. 

But the can was just the start, we’ve considered our impact at every stage of production. Our vineyard in Kent uses only organic products on the land. We also plant wildflowers between the rows to increase biodiversity and have beehives in the vineyards to support the waning UK population of pollinators. 

A - Beyond the vineyard, our winery is SWGB (Sustainable Wines of Great Britain) accredited, our grape skins are reused as compost in the vineyards and our canning process is carbon positive, with on-site renewables giving back to the grid.

Well done on becoming the first and only(!) B Corp-certified wine in the UK. How did you find this process, and what were the biggest challenges?

H - Thank you, we’re very proud to join the B Corp community. It allows us to meet and learn from businesses in all types of sectors – including you! 

It was a long and rigorous process – rightly so! As a young, sustainable winemaker, we were already doing a lot of the right things, it was more a case of legalizing these into our Articles of Association. This took a lot of time and resources for a small team, but it was the right thing to do. 

What’s next for The Uncommon?

A - We’d love to be the go-to bubbly for after-work treats, garden parties, and picnics. And the dream would be to partner with Wimbledon (Still manifesting that). 

We want to challenge and change outdated stereotypes about wine in the UK.  We’re not here to replace the glass bottle. We simply want to offer a really good, sustainable alternative to traditional sparkling wine – for those moments when a glass bottle doesn’t suit. 

H - We wholeheartedly believe that our local production and small format have a part to play in the future of the wine industry.

What do you love about Wolf & Badger?

H - The values and epic picnic and glassware. Sustainable and chic – what’s not to love?