In recent years, you have probably heard of vegan wine. You may have seen it on the labels of our Baglio Diar wines.
But what exactly does it mean? Is it different from normal wine? And above all: why is it becoming increasingly popular?
In this article, we will try to explain what makes a wine truly vegan, how it is produced, and why it can be a more conscious choice, even if you are not vegan.
You might legitimately think, “Wine is made from grapes, so isn’t it automatically vegan?
In reality, there are steps in the winemaking process that involve the use of animal products, especially in the clarification phase, which is when the wine is “cleaned” of suspended particles.
Traditionally, substances such as egg albumin, milk casein, animal gelatin, or fish glue are used in this phase.
These products help to make the wine clear and stable, but they are of animal origin. This means that many wines cannot be considered vegan, even if they are produced with organic grapes.
So how is vegan wine made?
To be vegan, no animal products, none of those mentioned above, must be used at any stage.
The clarification stage, for example, can be carried out using alternative products that are completely plant-based or mineral-based.
Some of the most commonly used are: bentonite (a type of natural clay), plant proteins from peas or wheat, vegetable charcoal, or potatoes.
These solutions are just as effective as conventional ones.
A certified vegan wine bears the appropriate label on the bottle, so that buyers can easily recognize it.
Take one of our bottles of wine and look at the back label. Did you find a logo with a “V”? This is the Vegan label.
Don’t have our vegan wines yet? You can remedy that here
Vegan wine and organic wine: are they related?
Not necessarily. Vegan and organic are not synonymous.
A wine can be organic but not vegan, and vice versa.
“Organic” refers to the way the grapes are grown and the vineyard is managed.
“Vegan” refers to the ingredients used in the winery.
Did you know that more and more people (even non-vegans) are choosing it?
Vegan wine is not only for those who follow a plant-based diet.
Many choose it because they perceive it as safer (we know what’s in it, so we trust it more), more natural and sustainable (by eliminating animal-based ingredients, the overall environmental impact is also reduced).
Last but not least, it is also more inclusive. Imagine, for example, being at a dinner table with friends and having a vegan friend, or perhaps another who is lactose intolerant.
What about the taste? Does it change?
The answer is simple: no.
The choice of clarifying agents does not affect the aromas, bouquet, or personality of the wine.
What changes is the production method and philosophy, not the quality of the tasting experience. A vegan wine can be fresh, complex, elegant, or structured. As with other types of wine, it depends on the grape variety, the terroir, and the choices made by the producer.
Discover Baglio Diar’s vegan wines on our wine club