Is wine vegan and can vegans drink wine?
The quick answer to these two question are, ‘normally no’ and ‘YES’!!
A common assumption is that if wine is made from grapes and some yeast, then surely, wine is vegan and therefore vegans can drink wine. However if you are a vegan, or a vegetarian, then you should not assume that a wine is suitable for you, unless it is labelled as such. The good news is, however, that Increasingly more wines are now being made with products which are in fact completely vegetable-based.
Let’s debunk a few myths, explain what makes a wine appropriate or not for vegans and give you some tips for choosing the best vegan wine!
Fining - or - clarifying agents
We are all used to drinking ‘clear’ wines and this is therefore how brands have made their wines, to meet our tastes. However wines aren’t naturally clear - they are naturally hazy or cloudy, as a result of fermentation.
The particles which make the wine cloudy do sink naturally with time and the sediment can then be removed, but winemakers use what is called a ‘fining agent’ to speed up this process. (Some winemakers also ‘filter’ their wines, a much-discussed topic regarding the impact of this process on wine quality).
Traditionally and surprising to many, fining agents contain ‘animal-based’ products, for example, animal gelatin, egg whites or casein (milk based). Egg albumen (derived from egg whites) can be used for red wine, while milk protein is used for white wine. Other animal-derived fining agents include bone marrow and something called ‘isinglass’ - obtained from the dried swim bladder of fish.
These aren’t additives, more like processing aids. They don’t impact the taste of the wine, however it is impossible to guarantee that there is absolutely no residue in the wine, thus making the wine unsuitable for vegans.
When is a wine suitable for vegans?
A wine can be labelled ‘vegan’ when no fining agents are used - or - when the winemaker uses a fining agent which is ‘vegetable-based’, rather than animal-based. Examples of vegetable-based fining agents include charcoal, pea protein or bentonite (a form of clay).
The great news is that the use of vegetable-based fining agents is becoming more common-place. This is in line with the general shift of wine producers towards more sustainable, organic and climate-friendly practices, as well as animal-friendly practices. It’s also in response to the huge growth in demand for both vegan and vegetarian foods and drinks.
Tips for buying vegan wines
Most wine retailers now sell a large and growing range of vegan-friendly and vegetarian-friendly wines so make sure you search for these specifically (most of the major online retailers have specific ‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’ search options)
Check the label and make sure it states that the wine is suitable for vegans
Some wines may also be ‘certified’ as vegan (from example by the UK vegan society)
If you’re not sure, buy your wines from a retailer who can advise you, or ask advice when buying wine in a restaurant (it can be difficult to tell as regulations in the EU and US do not currently require wineries to list fining agents on labels)
Remember that just because a wine is organic, that doesn’t guarantee it’s vegan
Biodynamic wines can be made in a vegan way when they are unfined, but the special compost mixtures used in biodynamic farming can use animal bones, so again you need to check - don’t assume!
Conclusion
Increasingly more winemakers are practising minimal intervention winemaking and by definition this is leading to more un-fined and unfiltered wines being produced - so there is a push from both the consumer side and the supplier side to encourage the wider availability of vegetarian and vegan wines. This is real progress and it is a trend that will only continue as the focus on climate-friendly and animal-friendly food and drink production intensifies. Over time it seems likely that the use of animal-based fining agents will be the exception rather than the rule!
