Len de l'El & Mauzac, Gaillac, France

What do orange wine and cheese have in common? We dunno but when made by the same person? Magic. German-born Melanie Kröber worked in economics, film, and impactfully, cheese for 10 years in London before moving to France’s South-West to begin a new adventure in winemaking. Melsolo is the name of her winery, based in Gaillac - one of France’s oldest winemaking regions just north of Toulouse. The way Melanie talks about cheese (she has her own TED talk!), it’s no wonder she would eventually find her way to natural wine - the perfect segue!! We can imagine her talking about the process of tending vines and gently guiding the transformation of grape juice into wine with the same reverence she applies towards the tangibility of cheese making. Local grapes Len de ‘L’El and Mauzac were destemmed and lightly crushed before everything macerated together for 2 weeks followed by 7 months aging. Compromis is precise, elegant and silky, creamy, deliciousness. Apple crumble drizzled with wildflower honey and crunchy bee pollen supplements. This orange wine is so pure and cool that you want to put on your best pair of headphones and listen to jazzy minimal techno while sipping.