Is Wine a Vegan Product?

As wine is made from fermented grapes, we could assume that it is 100% veggie. However, we should know that not all wine is suitable for vegetarians and definitely not for vegans, or strict vegans.

Indeed, from the vineyard to the glass and during wine-growing and winemaking, the different stages of winemaking can and do make use of animals. What this means is that both vegetarians and vegans will pay attention to the contents of the bottle to check that there are no animal inputs, but will also pay attention to the method of cultivation of the vine or the packaging of the bottle: For example, no fertiliser from animal substances (excrement, bones, horns, etc.), no insecticides, no ploughing or harvesting with a draught horse (as is often the case in biodynamics), corks without beeswax seal, labels using plant-based glue.

As for the contents of the bottle itself, the wine may contain products of animal origin. Very often the winegrower uses these products for the vinification process, particularly during the clarification stage. So watch out for dietary restrictions! 

Clarification can be done by fining, which consists of removing the particles suspended in the wine to stabilise it and make it clear before bottling. Fining may require coagulant additives of animal origin, such as
⇒ albumin (protein contained in egg whites). Casein (cow’s milk protein) is used to soften tannins in red wines.
⇒ White wine use gelatine derived from animal collagen (skin, crushed bones, organs, or intestines from cattle, pig, chicken or horse).
⇒ Red wines mainly use isinglass (fish glue, a substance derived from the skin and cartilage of fish). Used for both white and red wines, both egg white and casein are not suitable for vegan dietary restrictions. Gelatine and isinglass are also not suitable for vegetarians.

It should be noted that animal blood, which was used in the past, has been a prohibited additive since 1997.

However, there is no label guaranteeing that a wine is suitable for vegetarians or vegans. The only label that would allow us to categorically remove any doubt is the vegan label, which is certainly more restrictive, but which guarantees more transparency.

The good news is, that for anyone who doubts it, vegan wine does in fact exist! Who said that being vegan meant giving up the pleasure of wine? From the vine to the glass, there are plant-based alternatives that do not involve animal use. For winegrowing methods: the winegrower will ensure that the soil is enriched by maintaining its organic matter known as "humus-rich soil" (humus, mulch, plant cover, manual or mechanised harvesting). During the vinification: the additives used during the clarification stage will be 100% plant-based, and used alone or in combination, such as bentonite (mineral clay), silica sol (silicon dioxide), pea or potato glue (plant proteins), carbon, yeast flakes, cellulose or gum arabic. Some winegrowers do not fine at all, preferring to lengthen the maturing process and to obtain natural deposit through sedimentation, which is far from being a defect in the wine. Several labels certify that their products are 100% of plant origin:

⇒ The British Vegan Society label only guarantees the absence of animal substances in the finished product.

⇒ The V label was created by the European Vegetarian Union (UVE) and has been distributed and controlled in France by the Association Végétarienne de France (AVF) since 2016. It guarantees the absence of products of animal origin in the wine and at all stages of production and vinification.

⇒ The Italian Qualità Vegetariana label guarantees the absence of animal products in the whole area and throughout the process, even in the packaging (labels and packaging)

⇒ The EVE Vegan label (Expertise Végane  Europe) was created by the French association for the economic development and promotion of vegan alternatives (Vegan France Interpro). Its specifications provide several levels of certification. Level 01 guarantees the absence of animal products in formulation, manufacture and packaging; level 02 also guarantees the farming method.

Currently, only a handful of producers have adopted these labels in France. Restaurateurs are also very keen to include this type of wine on their vegan menus.

Veganism is a way of life in its own right, and more and more winegrowers adhere to it. This is the case of Brigitte and Jean-Pierre Fayard from the Château Sainte-Marguerite or Enzo Fayard Château Hermitage Saint-Martin. They have much more than their family name in common! They share the same committed vision of wine. As much for the quality of the product as for the defence of environmental and animal causes. Their entire production is organic AND vegan!

Although vegan wine production is not related to the criteria for organic wine, vegan concerns are in line with environmental concerns, coupled with the choice of a healthy diet. It is therefore not uncommon for a winegrower producing vegan wines to produce them organically.

In the same way, some organic winegrowers are committed to the preservation of wildlife, but without producing vegan. For example, this is the case of The Chai Owl which works for the preservation of nocturnal animal species. Undeniably, the organic approach makes the vineyard and its surroundings a favourable habitat for the protection of the local fauna, and that's pretty cool!

This passion for organic wines proves that people are becoming more and more aware of what they consume and also that opinions have evolved: There is no doubt that the surge of organic wines on the market also benefits vegan wine. This goes to show that drinking wine also means giving people the opportunity to respect a way of life.

The important thing is being able to choose! For our part, we can only rejoice that vegans can also savour the pleasures of wine!

⇒ Vegan wine: V label; EVE label: Vegan Society; Qualità Vegetariana From the vineyard to the glass, vegan wine involves no animal exploitation or origin in the winemaking process. (viticulture and winemaking). The production criteria for vegan wine are not related to those used for organic wine. However, animal welfare is linked to environmental concerns, coupled with the choice to follow a healthy diet. It is not uncommon for vegan wine to be organic. The popularity of organic wines proves that public awareness is awakening with regard to consumption, and this passion will most certainly benefit the rise of vegan wine.

⇒ Natural wine: There are no regulations. The winegrower refrains from using any oenological intervention, or added inputs (including clarifiers and sulphites already naturally present in the grapes) or anything other than manual intervention on the vine. In general, the wine is neither fined nor filtered. With fewer sulphites, these wines are not made for ageing.

⇒ Biodynamic wine: Demeter Label; Biodyvin Label; ECOCERT Label Biodynamics, invented by Rudolf Steiner in 1924, is a scientific and philosophical current with the aim of caring for the Earth and regenerating the soil. The idea is to limit intervention on the grapes as much as possible. It is a sustainable form of winegrowing, based on a biodynamic calendar that follows the phases of the moon and the position of the planets. The grapes used must be organically grown and therefore bear the AB logo.

⇒ Organic wine: AB Logo The wine is produced according to European specifications from 2012: it is the result of a production process that complies with the principles of organic farming, both in winegrowing and winemaking. However, an organic wine does not necessarily mean a 100% plant-based wine. The specifications do not prohibit the use of animal gelatine or isinglass, nor does it prohibit the use of draught horses. A wine with an organic label is therefore not necessarily vegan.

Other labels:

⇒ Terra vitis is an environmental certification concerned with the protection of natural resources and societal issues. It is a sustainable development model that takes environmental, social and economic stakes into account.

⇒ Nature & Progrès Label is an association of producers and consumers. It guarantees organic certification of the grapes, manual harvesting, and the use of the winegrower's own yeasts for fermentation, limits to chaptalisation (addition of sugar), and fining with bentonite or organic egg whites.

This passion for organic wines proves that people are becoming more and more aware of what they consume and also that opinions have evolved: there is no doubt that the surge of organic wines on the market also benefits vegan wine.