Learn About Vegan Wine

Learn About Vegan Wine

Who would have thought that wine would have an impact on how plant based your wine could be with dinner? Knowing that wine is produced through the use of grapes is important. Traditionally, the process of making wine has been a long and drawn-out one. Previously pressed organic grape juice must be allowed to settle prior to fermentation and as new wine after fermentation in order to allow suspended solids to settle to the bottom of the fermentation tank or barrel. 

The wine continues to mature, clarifies further, and the residual solids sink to the bottom of the vessel, where they combine with the sediments. In effect, wines gradually clarify on their own, as they naturally do over time. Being considered “unfiltered and unfined” creating beautiful naturally vegan wine. Knowing about this traditional process, some people might assume that all wines would be suitable for vegans and those following a plant-based diet – but this isn't always true.

Modern wine tastes and market pressures, on the other hand, necessitate a quicker procedure. Fining is a technique that has been perfected by science to speed up the laborious clarifying process that occurs during cellar maturation.

Traditional fining chemicals are frequently to blame for a wine's unsuitability for vegetarians. Formerly, casein (a milk protein), egg whites, gelatin (animal protein), and isinglass were the most often utilised fining agents (fish bladder protein). Processing aids are the name given to these fining agents. Because they are precipitated out with the haze molecules, they are not added to the wine and there for not regulated to be listed on the label. Beeswax (used to seal bottles) and agglomerated corks may also be used in the manufacturing of wine (which use milk-based glues)

When stabilizing wine that has not had enough time to naturally clarify, fining is often employed to rectify winemaking flaws such off tastes, hues, cloudiness, or rough tannins. As a result, many current wines are so affordable because of the shorter period of time between harvest and bottle.

Because vegan wines do not include any animal products, winemakers must employ non-animal fining agents such as bentonite, a type of clay, or pea protein to remove the particles from the wine.

Many wines are actually vegan-friendly, although it can be difficult to tell. Bentonite, a mineral that has no ties to animal products in any way, is now being used as an alternative to animal-derived fining agents by several winemakers, which is great news for anyone who are vegan, plant-based, or just inquisitive!

For those of you looking for an organic vegan wine and aren't sure what to look for, check the label and if it's not obvious, ask your wine merchant because it's pretty common for certain vineyards to be vegan but not to make this explicit on the label. Once you have curated your plant based staples, try pairing your beautiful selection with some of MANNA's nutritious, healthy and delicious plant based meals. In need of a quick solution for a dinner party? MANNA's organic recipes come with a QR code on our packaging to plate like a pro, impress your bests and elevate their experience with a wonderfully paired glass of vino.