In case you weren’t aware; not all wines are vegan. But it’s essentially an acholic grape juice! “Why no vegan-friendly vino?” you might ask.
Well, traditional wine-making processes often involve animal-derived products, such as casein (milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatine, (sometimes spelled ‘gelatin’) (from animal bones and tendons), chitin (from crustacean shells), and isinglass ( from fish swim bladder). These are used as ‘fining agents’ to clarify wine, helping to remove proteins, yeasts, and other organic particles present at production.
They do this by binding with the unwanted particles, making them larger and easier to filter out of the wine. While these substances are generally not present in the final product, their use during production means that such wines are not suitable for vegans, or even most vegetarians, whether or not traces remain in the finished product. (This is why often wine labels state ”May contain animal derivatives”). But many of them don’t list the ingredients at all, much less detail the production process on the label. And neither are they required to.
This process, called ‘fining’, by the way, is not actually necessary. It doesn’t add any flavour to the wine, and unwanted particles would filter out naturally from most wines by sinking to the bottom if left to mature. The problem is that large scale wine producers are short on time, so adding these ingredients speeds up the process, so they can get it bottled and on shelves as quickly as possible.
Another thing you may not have realised, (and I know it certainly wasn’t something I had thought about before researching for this post), is that some winemakers use beeswax to seal their wines. Then of course, there’s the possibility of animal ingredients in the adhesive used to stick the label to the bottle.
So does this mean that all wine is simply a no-go?
Not at all!
Vegan-friendly wines DO exist! And what’s more, they are ever increasing in number.
I had you at Merlot….. right?
It’s worth knowing that these days a lot of winemakers are using a different kind of fining agent, called bentonite clay. However, its use in red wines is somewhat limited due its properties of absorbing the anthocyanins from the grapes, (one of the reasons, along with resveratrol, that you might be reaching for that glass), and therefore affecting the colour of red wines. Other non-animal fining agents that are increasingly being used are activated charcoal, silica gel, limestone and plant-based proteins.
It’s up to the savvy vegan to find out which wines they can consume.
Hooray for Vegan Vintners: Wines with a Conscience
The good news is that it’s easier than ever to find animal-friendly wines. Just as we’ve seen with so many products now due to the rising popularity of veganism, many winemakers are starting to label their vegan varieties as such.
Just be careful with labels, as they don’t always mean what we think they mean. By that same token, the term ‘organic‘ often includes animal ingredients when it comes to other products, however, in the world of winemaking, it usually doesn’t. According to many winemakers’ websites, organic wines tend to be vegan-friendly, so the vast majority of them will be. Again, exercise caution however, because it is likely to differ by country and just because the grapes were grown adhering to strict farming practices, that says nothing about the production process, (or ‘vinification’) of the wine itself.
Still, many, many winemakers and sellers’ websites now have dedicated sections for vegan wines. They know the consumer and their articles make it clear that they understand the term correctly, so you check out what they have to offer.
You can also look out for the terms ‘Unfined’ or ‘Unfiltered’, as these both indicate that the wine hasn’t even gone though a fining process.
And finally, my number one recommendation is a wonderful website I have used for years, barnivore.com.
These guys do all the hard work, checking every type of alcoholic drink including wines, not only by brand but also by country, since production methods can differ. Their site is easy to navigate and perfect for when you’re unsure about a wine’s vegan status, whether you’re out shopping, at a restaurant or your friend just pulled out a bottle of bubbly.
A Toast to Vegan Vinification:
To recap; the good news, (perhaps worth celebrating with a glass or two), is that vegan-friendly vino is everywhere and it’s easy to find, online, in liquor stores, wine shops and in the supermarket.
Whether you just want to relax and unwind after a long week at work, you have friends round, or wish to celebrate something with a bottle of champers, you can find a wine just perfect for the occasion. From pairing with dinner to when that recipe calls for a splash of white. From reds and rosés, from cabernet sauvignon to chardonnay or pinot gris, – whatever time you decide is ‘wine-O’clock’, there’s no need to be without.
Cheers to that!
