Friuli by Alessio and Vasyl

When life gives you oranges, make orange wine out of them. Or so the saying might go, right? But in Friuli, they've figured that out. Some winemakers, inspired by tradition and perhaps a touch of audacity, began crafting white wines using red winemaking techniques. The result? Remarkable, vibrant wines that encapsulate the very spirit of the region - its joys, its conflicts, its contradictions, and its absurdities.

Each bottle carries a story, and Alessio and Vasyl decided to write a new one using these wines. With so many pressing needs for our defenders, they organised a charity tasting to raise funds - a noble effort with a delicious twist.

But irony has a way of weaving into even the most beautiful moments. As the tasting drew to a close, the low hum of a Shahed drone - one of those infamous suicide drones - passed overhead. It's the kind of interruption that might sound surreal to some, yet has become almost routine here. From Park Landscape Alley, where Lo is located, the view of Kyiv's skyline offers more than its share of beauty - and, during attacks, a grim kind of fireworks display.

Still, no drone could overshadow the essence of that evening: exceptional wines shared in the warmth of great company. Because life goes on, and these wines are a reminder of all it holds. They reflect the joys, the tensions, the contradictions, and the unbearable lightness. Most of all, they remind us of life itself - a life worth savouring, even amid chaos.

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