Wine is made from grapes and yeast. So it’s vegan, right? The answer, surprisingly, is not necessarily. Several vinification techniques that have long been used to produce wine of the quality and stability that consumers expect actually incorporate animal by-products. So if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, it’s actually quite important to know what’s going into your bottle of wine. Consider this your guide.
The technique of finingWine is made from grapes and yeast. So it’s vegan, right? The answer, surprisingly, is not necessarily. Several vinification techniques that have long been used to produce wine of the quality and stability that consumers expect actually incorporate animal by-products. So if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, it’s actually quite important to know what’s going into your bottle of wine. Consider this your guide.
The technique of fining is where the risk of animal by-products being introduced to the wine lies. Fining is a process of clarification and stabilization at the end of winemaking. After fermentation, wine generally contains microscopic particles known as colloids that can make the wine appear cloudy. While these particles are harmless and don’t affect the taste of a wine, modern wine drinkers are used to seeing perfectly clear wines and often misinterpret haziness as a flaw in red or white wine. In this case, winemakers turn to fining to produce a wine that is clear and bright. ...more ...less
There are five major fining agents. Bentonite is a type of clay that is effective in absorbing the proteins that can cause a wine to be cloudy. Since it’s an inorganic chemical, it is safe for vegans and vegetarians alike. Organic compounds such as casein (from milk) and egg whites have also traditionally been used as fining agents. Though all these agents are eventually filtered out of the wine, thereThere are five major fining agents. Bentonite is a type of clay that is effective in absorbing the proteins that can cause a wine to be cloudy. Since it’s an inorganic chemical, it is safe for vegans and vegetarians alike. Organic compounds such as casein (from milk) and egg whites have also traditionally been used as fining agents. Though all these agents are eventually filtered out of the wine, there is no guarantee that trace amounts don’t remain, thus wines filtered with casein and egg white are generally considered inappropriate for vegans. The last two major fining agents are insinglass, harvested from the bladders of sturgeon, and gelatin, made from the hides of animals. Both of these are considered inappropriate for vegans and vegetarians.
Fortunately, the tendency is to move away from the use of animal-based fining agents. Due to consumer demand wineries have become more transparent not only about what happens in the vineyard, but also about their vinification processes, and it’s becoming easier to find out if your wine contains any additives. As wine labeling with ingredients listed becomes more common, it should be easier to find out if the wine you buy is compatible with veganism. ...more ...less