Wine is made from grapes, so you would naturally think it’s vegan. After all, grapes are fruit, free from animal-derived ingredients. However, not all wines are created equally — nor are they vegan or even vegetarian.
Although fermented grape juice and yeast are inherently vegan, the wine-making process may use animal byproducts to enhance the look of the wine. Brush up on your wine 101 knowledge to find out which wines are suitable for a vegan-friendly lifestyle.
What Is Vegan Wine?
For a wine to be completely vegan, it must be made without using any animal products or byproducts. All wines start with grapes, but the processes used during production are what determine whether it remains vegan-friendly.
Winemakers use a process called fining to improve wine quality and appearance, making it look brighter or clearer. This is tricky for vegans because fining may use beef or pork gelatin, isinglass from fish swim bladders, egg whites, or skim milk. Vegan wines avoid this altogether and still achieve a desirable result.
Things To Look For in Vegan-Friendly Wines
With the rising popularity of veganism, some wine brands opt to put a label directly on the bottle that states that the wine and its fining process are vegan-friendly. This is extremely helpful, but not always present. If there is no label available, try to search the winemaker’s fining process. It should avoid all animal-derived proteins and opt for fining-agent alternatives like:
- Activated charcoal;
- Bentonite clay;
- Pea and other plant proteins;
- Silica gels.
Sometimes, you can find wines that are “unfined,” meaning they skip the fining process altogether. Instead, they rely on filtration without animal products or their alternatives. When considering a wine subscription service, make sure you can pick and choose which wines you receive each month. Even better, you should be able to set your preferences, including vegan-friendly options.
How To Read a Wine Label
Again, a winery or manufacturer may explicitly label their wines as vegan or vegetarian. This is typically designated on the front or back label on the body of the bottle but check the bottom and capsule wrapping, as well. If a wine is less than 7% alcohol, the FDA requires ingredient labels on the bottle. Look for any of the following non-vegan ingredients on your wine label:
- Gelatin;
- Isinglass;
- Casein, or milk proteins;
- Chitosan or chitin, which can come from shrimp or other crustacean shells;
- Albumin, or egg whites.
Less commonly, alcoholic drinks have color additives that are also non-vegan. These include both carmine and cochineal extract.
These are colorings derived from insects to make the wine appear more red. They are required to be labeled on wine if present. You can also look for a certification symbol, such as the BeVeg vegan certification. This indicates that the wine meets specific vegan criteria. If a wine claims to be “organic,” “clean,” or “biodynamic,” this doesn’t necessarily mean it is also vegan. If you’re still unsure, reach out to wine experts at a wine shop, winery, or wine subscription service to learn details.
What Are Fining Agents?
Fining agents are established as the most common ingredients that make a wine non-vegan. Fining clarifies the wine of impurities and stabilizes it. Impure wine is freshly pressed and contains tiny particles of organic matter like grape skins or seeds. Wines can also become hazy due to proteins, tannins, and dead yeast cells suspended in the liquid. This can make the wine appear cloudy or gritty.
Fining helps remove these particles, resulting in a clearer, more visually appealing wine. This is a valuable process, but many fining agents are derived from animal products. For example, gelatin attracts and binds to tannins and proteins, while fish swim bladders are particularly effective at removing yeast particles. However, natural products like clay and charcoal can achieve much the same effect while remaining animal-free.
Vegan vs. Non-Vegan Wines
Vegan and non-vegan wines don’t appear different on the surface. However, there can be some key differences in important categories, such as:
- Taste: While fining agents don’t affect taste, unfined wine can have sediment or gritty aspects that settle to the bottom of your wine, giving it a less smooth mouthfeel.
- Price: Since traditional fining is conducted using cheaper animal byproducts, it sometimes costs winemakers and manufacturers more money to seek out and implement vegan alternatives. For that reason, some vegan wines can have a higher price tag. However, this is uncommon.
- Availability: As more and more wine connoisseurs and casual consumers turn to a vegan lifestyle, vegan wines will be more easily accessible and clearly labeled. Currently, the application process for vegan certification is long and may affect the ease of labeling.
- Ethical production: Vegan wine production is arguably more ethical. For example, collagen and gelatin are made from boiling animal parts leftover from harmful meat production. However, it can be argued that this uses all parts of the animal and reduces waste. A move toward a plant-based future is still a step in the right direction to produce all food and drinks ethically and without harm to animals.
It is ultimately up to each individual winemaker and company whether they want to use non-vegan fining agents in their winemaking process.
Tasting Vegan Wines
Beyond perusing labels, you can choose to adapt your wine-tasting approach to cater to vegan wines. With wines that go through a vegan fining process, there won’t be a difference. However, unfined wines may take some practice to get used to. Try to:
- Step back and observe the appearance. Notice the haziness or sediment at the bottom, appreciating the natural beauty of your unrefined wine.
- Gently swirl your wine to release its aromas. Unfiltered wines often have more pronounced and complex smells due to the presence of yeast and other particles. Keep this in mind when noticing wine notes.
- Prepare for a unique mouthfeel. The leftover particles in unfined wine may provide texture and nuanced flavors that you aren’t used to. Avoid swishing wine like mouthwash and, instead, let it coat your tongue to taste the complex flavors and let the wine shine. Notice any additional layers of complexity that linger on your palate.
Some winemakers believe that minimal intervention preserves a wine’s true character and flavor profile. To try a variety of wines and get used to different types of vegan and non-vegan filtering processes. Consider joining a wine of the month club. Exploring premium wines can give you a different perspective on wine tasting and broaden your horizons to appreciate more ethical winemaking processes.
Vegan Wine Options
Vegan wine selections will change, but here are some of the current options to explore:
- Avaline;
- Bellissima;
- Besa;
- Bluenose;
- Charles Shaw;
- Decoy;
- Lumos;
- Newman’s Own.
The options don’t have to stop there. Do a quick internet search and see what wine brands resonate with your vegan values and favorite flavor profiles.
Other Alternatives
You don’t have to stop at wine. There are many vegan alcohol alternatives like beer, cider, whiskey, rum, vodka, and cocktails. Just watch out for additives in addition to those mentioned above in wine fining, including:
- Dairy products in sour beers and cocktails;
- Honey or eggs in cocktails;
- Castoreum flavoring made from beaver anal gland secretions.
Whatever alcohol you choose, research the ingredients for vegan-friendly options.
The Future Outlook of Vegan Wines
The growing demand for ethical and vegan products means a bright future for vegan wines. As consumer preferences evolve, winemakers will want to adapt, innovate, and create a more sustainable and compassionate future for wine enthusiasts across the globe.
