By definition, wine is made from grapes (or from other fruit). So why would anyone worry about whether or not a wine is “vegan”?
The question really is, “Why is a wine NOT vegan?”
The answer: if a wine is fined (the final filtering of wine before it’s bottled) using egg whites or fish bladder, then the wine is considered not vegan.
If winemakers are making vegan wine, then they may use one of these options to finish fining the wine:
- bentonite clay
- limestone
- activated carbon
There are other options too, but one of the best ways to not use any fining materials is to not fine the wine at all – just let the sediment settle.
But then don’t complain that there’s sediment in the bottle!
If you’re unsure, check the label – usually a winery will tell you.
Find Caro Feely’s wonderful Vegan Dhal recipe here (to be paired with great vegan wine of course)
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