Vegan Wine - Why Isn't All Wine Vegan?

We hear many people asking us how a wine can be vegan, or rather, "isn't all vegan since it's made from grapes?".  The answer may surprise you:

Not all wine is vegan because of the winemaking process, specifically the fining process used to clarify the wine. Fining is a step in winemaking where substances known as fining agents are added to the wine to remove unwanted particles and improve clarity. Traditionally, some of these fining agents are derived from animal products, making the wine non-vegan. Here are some common animal-derived fining agents:

1. Isinglass: A substance obtained from the swim bladders of fish.
2. Gelatin: A protein derived from animal bones, cartilage, and connective tissues.
3. Casein: A protein found in milk.
4. Egg whites (albumen): Used to fine red wines, usually to bind and therefore remove tannins.

Vegan wines, on the other hand, use fining agents that are not derived from animals. Some common vegan-friendly fining agents include:

1. Bentonite clay: A type of clay used to remove proteins from wine.
2. Activated charcoal: Used to remove off-flavors and colors.
3. Silica gel: Helps in clarifying the wine.
4. Vegetable-based fining agents: These include plant casein and pea protein.

Some winemakers choose to skip the fining process altogether, resulting in "unfined" and "unfiltered" wines, which can also be vegan.

The label "vegan" on a wine bottle indicates that no animal-derived products were used at any stage of the winemaking process, ensuring the wine is suitable for vegans.