As we all know wine is made from grapes. Essentially wine is fermented grape juice. Yeasts convert the grape juice sugars into alcohol. The reason that all wines are not vegan has to do with how the wine is clarified and a process called ‘fining’. All young wines are hazy and contain tiny molecules such as proteins, tartrates or tannins. These are all natural, and in no way harmful. However, wine-drinkers like our wines to be clear and bright. Producers use a variety of aids called ‘fining agents’ to help the process along. The fining agent acts like a magnet – attracting the molecules around it. They coagulate around the fining agent, creating fewer but larger particles, which can then be more easily removed. Traditionally the most commonly used fining agents were casein (a milk protein), albumin (egg whites), gelatin (animal protein) and isinglass (fish bladder protein). These fining agents are known as processing aids. They are not additives to the wine. The use of these fining agents is not compatible with the Vegan diet.

Today many winemakers use clay-based fining agents, which are particularly efficient at fining out unwanted proteins. Activated charcoal is another vegan and vegetarian-friendly agent that is also used. In addition, the move to more natural winemaking methods, allowing nature to take its course, means more vegan wines. An increasing number of wine producers around the globe are electing not to fine or filter their wines, leaving them to self-clarify and self-stabilize. Such wines usually mention on the label ‘not fined and/or not filtered’.

Once you’ve identified a wine that is vegan friendly (readily available choices listed below), it’s time to pair your vegan dish with the right vegan wine. It can be difficult to pinpoint specific vegetables that match specific wines; therefore, pairing vegan meals with wine according to the herbs, spices, oils/fats, and sauces used in a dish is the best way of achieving a delicious combination. In general, soft buttery white wines (and some light-bodied reds) go well with simple citrus, peanut sauce, yellow coconut curry, and other various ethnic foods. Medium to bold red wines pair well with tomato-based sauces. Reds can also pair well with chili sauces, salsas and various curries.

*Examples of popular and well-priced Vegan Wines: (Vverified through Barnivore.com)

White:

• Kris Pinot Grigio
• Duckhorn Decoy Sauvignon Blanc 
• Bogle Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc

Red:

• Willamette Valley Vineyards “Estate” Pinot Noir
• Michael David 7 Deadly Zins & Freakshow Cabernet
• Layer Cake Cabernet, Shiraz, Primitivo

Rose:

• Rose All Day
• Meiomi Rose

Sparkling:

• Zardetto Prosecco
• Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne