I am always interested when a drinks brand gets in touch and says they are vegan, Queer-owned, and genuinely putting something back into the community.
Even more so when it is clear they are not just lazily slapping a rainbow on a bottle.
Read more below.
Madame F is a vegan wine and drinks company founded in 2020 by Iain Muggoch and Joe Galliano, who is also the founder of Queer Britain. Madame F exists to celebrate the under-celebrated, with Queer voices, stories, and creativity at the heart of everything they do.
One of the most impressive parts of the Madame F story is their role in helping bring Queer Britain to life. The brand raised and donated over £100,000 to support the opening of the UK’s first national LGBTQ+ art and history museum. That commitment has not ended either. Madame F continues to work closely with Queer Britain through ongoing partnerships, including the Madame F Queer Britain Art Award, helping to uplift Queer artists and cultural voices.
The wine itself is created by Iain Muggoch, drawing on more than two decades of experience in the wine industry.
The range includes an English sparkling wine with tasting notes that describe a rich black cherry note, a subtle almond lift, and a fresh finish. There is also a rosé that nods to Provence style while doing its own thing, blending Grenache with red berry driven Shiraz. It is light, crisp, fruit forward, and full of personality, with strawberry and grenadine notes and just a hint of pepper.
I am not a wine or sparkling wine connoisseur, but those descriptions supplied to me by the company were a lot of fun to type out! Hahahaha.
Alongside the wine, Madame F also produces a ready to drink raspberry and lime rum cocktail made in Bermondsey.
Community is a recurring theme with Madame F. Beyond Queer Britain, the brand continues to partner with Queer charities and organisations across sport and the arts. They sponsor a Queer rugby team, host charity events, and use their platform to create space for Queer talent across disciplines. Their mascot is even a drag queen frog!
I like that Madame F is focused on taking Queer voices into spaces that are not always overtly Queer. There is something powerful about seeing a proudly Queer, vegan wine brand sitting confidently in restaurants, galleries, and institutions where those stories are often been absent or marginalised.
If you are looking to support a vegan drinks brand that genuinely backs the community it represents, Madame F is well worth your attention. You can shop their range directly online, and if you work at a venue that sells alcohol and are interested in stocking something with real values behind it, you can also reach out to the team about wholesale opportunities.
Follow Madame F on Instagram.
I have a series of FGV events coming up in London. Click here to find out more and book tickets. You can also join my FGV email newsletter online here.
If you appreciate these blog posts and the work I do to support vegan business, please consider making a one time small donation of a couple of quid online here. You might also be in the position to sponsor my work on an regular basis via Patreon.
You can order my book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’ online now. It has been out a while now but is still a good read. You can also listen to the Audiobook read by me!
You can watch/stream my weekly podcast Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and Blue Sky.