Two of Our Producers Were Hit by Russian Missiles

In the space of just ten days, two of the producers whose bottles sit on our shelves were struck by Russian missile attacks in Kyiv.

Both suffered significant damage.

Both reopened their eyes the next morning and chose to move forward.

We think you should know their names.

Artania wine bar, Kyiv, 24 May

On the night of 24 May, Russia launched one of the largest attacks on Kyiv since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Among the buildings damaged was Artania, the craft wine bar operated by Beykush Winery on Khoryva Street in Kyiv's historic Podil district.

If you've tasted Beykush with us the mineral-driven whites from the Black Sea coast, the elegant reds, the distinctive Kara Kermen, Artania is the place where many Kyiv residents and tourists first discover these wines. It was created to showcase Ukrainian producers to Ukrainian wine lovers.

That morning, it was covered in broken glass.

Beykush CEO Svitlana Tsybak visited the site herself. Her response was simple and determined:

"We will rebuild everything. We will fix everything. We will endure. Ukrainians cannot be broken."

The team at Artania took a similarly resilient approach. Rather than launching a fundraising campaign, they wrote:

"The best support for us is your presence."

The following day, they reopened their doors.

Honey Badger — Kyiv, 2 June

Nine days later, another producer from our portfolio was hit.

On 2 June, Honey Badger, the Kyiv-based producer of award-winning fruit nalyvka and nastoyanka, suffered a missile strike that partially destroyed its production facility.

More than 30,000 bottles of finished product were lost.

Years of work disappeared in seconds.

This is a producer that earned Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and built its reputation on berries grown on its own farm.

Yet their response was not focused on what had been lost.

Instead, they launched a campaign called Rebuild.

Their message was straightforward: help us restore the roof, and we'll fill the next bottle with the next harvest.

What "Presence" Means From 2,000 Kilometres Away

Most of us cannot walk into a wine bar in Podil.

We cannot help clear the broken glass at Artania or repair the roof at Honey Badger.

But the idea behind Artania's message "the best support is your presence"  travels much further than Kyiv.

For producers like these, an order placed in the UK is not charity.

It is proof that their work matters.

It helps wineries continue exporting, distilleries continue producing, and family businesses continue employing people despite a war they did not choose.

Every bottle purchased sends a message that the world is still listening.

Russian missiles can damage buildings.

They cannot erase the people, the craft, or the determination behind them.

Stand With Ukrainian Producers

If you've been meaning to discover Ukrainian wine and spirits, this is a meaningful moment to do so.

Explore Beykush wines  including the wines that made Artania one of Kyiv's most loved wine destinations.

Explore Honey Badger nalyvka — crafted from estate-grown fruit and still being produced despite everything.

To the teams at Beykush, Artania and Honey Badger:

We're not going anywhere either.

Slava Ukraini.

The Team at Ukrainian Wine Company UK