Find answers to common questions about vegan wine, learn the ins and outs of what it means for a wine to be vegan friendly, then discover our range of vegan reds, whites and rosés. Let’s get sipping.
Surprised to hear that not all wine is vegan? Although wine is mostly made from grapes, it isn’t generally considered vegan due to the use of animal products during winemaking. To understand how vegan wine is made, you should first know how wine is commonly made.
Once wine has finished fermentation, it goes into the clarification stage. Young wine is always hazy with natural and non-harmful sedimentation, but many winemakers will use the fining process to clarify it for aesthetic appeal and flavour preference. The fining process is where we commonly see animal-derived products come into play, such as egg white, gelatine (from animal tissue and bones), isinglass from fish or casein (milk protein). These products, called fining agents, help filter and clarify the young wine by removing materials that make it hazy or affect aroma. The agents bind to these unwanted materials, making them large enough to be filtered out.
While winemakers traditionally use animal-derived fining agents, in recent years, the demand for vegan wines has increased. So, in turn, the use of non-animal-derived fining agents, like limestone, carbon, silica gel and a variety of clays, has also increased, meaning vegan wine-drinkers can enjoy a tasty, completely vegan tipple.
If a wine is considered vegan, the label will commonly call this out, though this isn’t required by law. However, Australia’s labelling laws do require winemakers to list out any allergens that could be in the wine, including the presence of any crustacea and their products, egg and egg products and milk and milk products. If you check the label of an Australian wine, you may see a line that mentions allergens from animal products. For example, ‘produced with egg, traces may remain’ or ‘contains milk products’. Keep in mind that not all countries have the same labelling requirements, so it may not be clear if a wine is vegan or not.
The taste and flavour profiles of vegan wine remain as varied as non-vegan wine. See (and taste) for yourself from our range of vegan wines. Here are some of our favourites:
What does it taste like?
Blends wild berry and plum flavours with a hint of chocolate and spices. Soft, silky, with lingering fruity notes.
Why our customers love it:
“I didn't know a lot of wines use fish and animal products when being made. This [wine] makes it easy to stick to my diet when I feel like a glass of red and it's really easy to drink, too.” Jem, Fitzroy, VIC.
What does it taste like?
Smooth, well-balanced and easy to drink.
Why our customers love it:
“For its price range, it punches way above its weight! Far and away a better cab sav than some of its pricier counterparts. Very smooth with almost honey-like notes... I’ve been a cab sav fan for some decades now. I can’t recommend this wine enough!” Mark, Darwin, NT.
What does it taste like?
Soft, supple and smooth with plum and cherry flavours and a hint of aniseed. A lovely lighter style of wine that’s soft on the palate.
Why our customers love it:
“Terrific value for money, I would purchase again. The wine has great fruit that lingers on the palate. A very nice drink; a wine that can be shared.”
Gordo, Kingscliff, NSW.
What does it taste like?
The perfect blend of citrus zest, passionfruit flavours and subtle grassy characters.
Why our customers love it:
“I wasn’t able to get my usual semillon sauvignon blanc [Gossips] and was recommended this one by a staff member. Terrific value to this bronze medal winner. Not overtly fruity, certainly not acidic or sharp, just very pleasant on the palate.”
Rochelle, Sydney Lower North Shore, NSW.
What does it taste like?
Well-balanced with a citrus and nectarine aroma and creamy notes. A crisp finish.
Why our customers love it:
“Smooth easy drinking chardonnay. Halfway between a wooded and unwooded chardonnay.”
Adam, Gunners, NSW.
What does it taste like?
Instantly refreshing, with subtle notes of pear and apple. A gentle touch of acidity.
Why our customers love it:
“This pinot gris sits nicely between the rich, almost overripe styles that are around and the rather thin acid style. Good fruit, plenty of ripeness, but with good acid to balance. Overall a great gris and a wine that I really enjoy drinking.”
Dougie, Ashbourne, SA.
We have a great range of vegan reds, whites and rosés for you to try. Browse our online vegan wine selection, or if you’re heading in-store, look out for wines that specifically call out vegan on the label. You’ll find there are some winemakers, like The Vegan Wine Project, that only produce vegan wines. You can also look out for any allergens from animal products listed on the label, like ‘contains milk products’. Remember, allergen declarations are required for Australian wines, but country labelling laws vary around the world so this may not be the case for all wines available to purchase.
If you’re thinking about adopting a plant-based diet or simply incorporating more vegan foods into your diet, we’re here to help.
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