What Is Vegan Wine and How Is It Different from Regular Wine • WineDivaa

You’d think most wine is made from grapes with a few extra additives for preservation, such as
sugar or sulfites to maintain freshness. But believe it or not, if you’re vegan, wine requires just
as much research as other types of​ drinks or food before having it to ensure that no hidden
animal-derived processing aids were used.
 
Surprisingly, not all the wine is considered vegan. Whether you’re having a night out with
friends or a stay-in evening playing on Xbox One and chilling by yourself, here’s what you need
to know about vegan wine.

So, What’s Vegan Wine?

Vegan wine is similar to any other type of vegan food or drink. Basically, it’s made without the
produce using any animal products, let alone byproducts at any stage of the process. When it
comes to wine making, there are a few general ingredients that can be used. Some of these
agents are used for fining purposes.
 
And yes, they’re sometimes derived from animals.
 

For example, vegan wine doesn’t contain any egg whites or gelatin. It doesn’t contain any
isinglass (or fish bladder) either which is often used to give white wines a crystal-clear
appearance. From this point of view, the actual production is identical. Wine is based on
grapes. However, the filtering process is different.
 
Instead of using products derived from animals, vegan wine producers rely on plant and
mineral-based alternatives, such as charcoal or pea protein, to name a few.

What Stays the Same

For readers who prefer plant-based options beyond wine, the same label-checking habit applies
to newer drink categories too. For example, vegan THC drinks from Little Rick can appeal to adults who want a
hemp-derived, alcohol-free option without animal-based ingredients. The key is the same:
check the product details, look for clear ingredient information, and make sure it fits your
lifestyle and local laws before trying it.
 
Now, when it comes to vegan and non-vegan wine, there are a few things that are less likely to
change. The taste is one of them. Regular and vegan wine taste the same. All the animal
products used in the classic filtering process are clearly removed before the wine is bottled.
 
Both vegan and traditional wines are based on fermented grapes as well and follow the same
fundamental production process.
 
Plus, there are no differences in variety and quality either. You’ll find red, white or rose vegan
wine. You can also find vegan sparkling wine for those special celebratory moments. As for
quality standards, they’re not defined by the filtering process, but by the quality of the grapes,
ageing process and so on.

How Vegan Wine Is Different from Traditional Wine

The main difference is in the fining agents. Classic wine is used with animal proteins that make
the wine hazy. These proteins have the primary purpose of removing sediment and smoothing
out harsh tannins. Some of them include casein (a milk protein), isinglass and gelatin.
Fortunately, vegan wine doesn’t include any of these elements.
 
Apart from fining agents, there’s also a difference in the production technique. Plant-based
alternatives are used to process vegan wine, with bentonite clay being one of the popular
options. Some manufacturers also let the wine filter naturally with time. This process takes
longer, though.
 
No matter how it’s produced, you won’t find any differences in taste. You could have some
quality time by yourself having a glass of wine without being able to tell what kind of wine it is.
 

On top of these, vegan wine producers take pride in their vegan produce. Therefore, while
conventional wines don’t always list their ingredients, vegan wines usually feature vegan
certifications. They often come with ingredients too, so you can convince yourself that there
are no animal products used behind the scenes.

How to Find Vegan Wine

Not all the wine advertised as vegan is vegan. In theory, since it’s made without animal
products, it’s a vegetarian product. Therefore, you may see “V” signs or leaves on some labels.
However, the filtering process includes animal products, so the respective products could be
vegetarian, but not vegan.
 
The best thing to do is look for labels. Look for a logo that certifies the vegan profile of the
product such as the Vegan Society trademark. You can also find wines with labels that mention
that they’re suitable for vegans.
 
Again, not all wine is filtered. Wine that wasn’t filtered or fined is usually left to do it by itself.
Such wines haven’t undergone these processes, so they’re usually alright for vegans to have.
 
Apart from vegan signs and certifications, it’s worth looking for organic options as well. Many
biodynamic or organic wineries avoid animal-related products at all to maintain a more holistic
and natural environment. This means their products are vegan by default.
 
Keep in mind that organic doesn’t always mean vegan. Therefore, you should still double-check
labels and certifications if you go for this option to be 100% certain. 
Bottom line, differences between vegan and regular wine are usually in the filtering and fining
process, yet some producers avoid these processes at all to keep the wine as close to its natural
state as possible.

Whether you’re after a wine to enjoy with your family at a celebration or you’re simply drinking
it after a long day by yourself, vegan wine can be a good option to keep yourself entertained
and in a good mood while sticking to your lifestyle choices.