Vegan & Vegetarian Wines - What's the Difference?

So you've made the switch to an all-natural, plant based diet, but what about alcohol; specifically wine? Surely it's just grapes isn't it?

Surprisingly wine is one of those things that has slipped under the radar, not all wines are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans, and those that follow either diet may need to check their favourite bottle of red...

Making the Switch

As of 2018 a staggering 7.3 million people were listed as vegetarian worldwide. The number of vegans is also growing as it becomes easier to both cook and shop for essential vegan products.

It may be a surprise that not all wines are suitable for you if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet. We give you the rundown on which wines are suitable, which are the best choices for those that prefer their wine without any processing or added chemicals.

The good news is that nowadays there are a huge amount of vineyards and wine producers that specially tailor their wine making process, making sure that they not only give you the best drinking experience but also remove any aspect of animal by products.

The Difference in Winemaking - Marrow & Fishbones?

During the extensive winemaking process the cellar master will use a filtering process to sift out the cloudy matter, as well as tannins and proteins. This usually happens as a wine ages and becomes mature, but younger wines may have this removed to improve the quality.

Products used for filtering:

- Blood and bone marrow Casein (milk protein)

- Chitin (fiber from crustacean shells)

- Egg albumen

- Fish oil

- Gelatin (protein from boiling animal parts)

- Isinglass (gelatin from fish bladder membranes)

So Which Wines Should You Choose?

Some of our favourite wine producers which have a vast selection of VV wines are:

False Bay (South Africa)

The Gorka Izagirre (Spain)

Cline (U.S.A)

Atamisque (Argentina)

Vegan wines are becoming more and more popular, and can hold their own against a their more 'traditionally' filtered counterparts. What do you think, do you currently seek out VV approved wines and spirits?