January 21, 2025 - 0 comments
Can a wine be truly vegan?
We’ve seen the labels on bottles but what actually makes a wine vegan? Veganism goes past dietary choices; it’s a lifestyle grounded in the principle of avoiding exploitation of animals. While many products, including wine, are often marketed as “vegan-friendly,” a deeper dive into winemaking reveals how hard this is to achieve.
Fining Agents
Let’s start with the most talked-about aspect: fining agents. Traditional winemaking often involves substances like egg whites, casein (derived from milk), gelatin (from animal bones), or isinglass (from fish bladders) to clarify and stabilize wine. While many wineries now use bentonite clay or other plant-based alternatives, not all do. Even if a wine is labeled “vegan,” cross-contamination or residual animal-derived substances might still exist.
⚠️ This is where the vegan label stops, they do not look at what is happening in the vineyard, so let’s investigate.
Harvesting and Insects
Machine harvesting, a common practice in modern viticulture, inadvertently collects more than just grapes. Tiny insects, spiders, and other small creatures often find their way into the harvest. These living beings are crushed alongside the grapes, making the process far from cruelty-free. Handpicking like we see in natural wine is a more selective and ethical alternative, but can we guarantee no insects natural winemakers in the vines? Only spraying with harmful pesticides can remove them.
Pesticides and Ecosystem Disruption
The use of pesticides further complicates the vegan credentials of wine. In conventional vineyards, pesticides are employed to protect grapes from pests and diseases, but they also harm local ecosystems, killing insects and other small animals that contribute to biodiversity. Some insects and animals are essential in natural winemaking, worms to work the soil for example, bees and ladybugs to pollinate, while others like grape phylloxera destroy grapes. It’s very complicated to not try and remove these kinds of pests when farming.
Fertilizers
Manure is a common fertilizer in both conventional, organic, biodynamic and natural winemaking. Derived from livestock, manure introduces another ethical dilemma for vegans. Its use supports the animal agriculture industry, which many vegans actively avoid. Even a farm using it’s own animals is technically adding an animal product in its use.
Biodynamic Practices and Animal Inputs
Biodynamic viticulture, a holistic farming method, often incorporates animal-derived preparations, such as cow horns filled with manure to enhance soil fertility, known as preparation 500.
A Philosophical Question
Even if a winemaker meticulously avoids animal-derived inputs, they can’t fully control the broader agricultural and ecological impacts of their vineyard on wildlife. For a wine to be truly vegan, it would require an entirely harm-free production process something very complicated. Something as simple trimming the vines each year has its own positive and negative effects on the local Eco-system.
So is it Vegan?
While many natural winemakers are making strides toward vegan-friendly practices. For those committed to minimising animal exploitation, it’s worth supporting wineries that prioritize ethical and sustainable practices as many natural winemakers do. No agricultural processes can be strictly vegan by nature. But the good news is that a more practical veganism, by reducing intentional use and harm wherever possible, is on the rise. That being said conventional wine making and veganism is often not compatible.
Do you think wines can be vegan?
If you’d like to know more about the various vegan certifications
Vegan Labels for wines
Labels, labels, labels. Here again, there are so many of them. Let us highlight the different vegan certifications specific applications to winemaking:
The Certified Vegan logo (by Vegan Action/Vegan Awareness Foundation) is one of the most widely recognized. Products with this label contain no animal products or byproducts, use no animal products in manufacturing, and haven't been tested on animals. There's also a requirement that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) weren't developed using animal genes. Primarily based in the United States but certifies products worldwide. It's most commonly found on products in North America and has a strong presence in Canada.
Specific protocols for wine fining agents:
- Basic wine certification available
- Less specific wine industry experience
- General vegan compliance requirements
- Limited wine-specific guidelines
- Recognition primarily in North America
The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark is internationally recognized and has similar strict criteria, but also specifically prohibits cross-contamination with non-vegan products during production. They have additional requirements around animal-derived GMOs and the development of new ingredients. Originated in the UK, operates globally and is particularly prominent in Europe, Australia, and India. It's one of the most internationally recognized certifications, with registered products in over 80 countries.
Specific protocols for wine fining agents:
- Comprehensive audit of all processing aids
- Specific focus on fining agents alternatives
- Documentation requirements for all ingredients
- Guidelines for cork and label materials
- Regular monitoring of production processes
- Strong recognition in UK and European markets
The V-Label, popular in Europe, has different certification levels. Their "vegan" certification means no animal ingredients, while their "vegetarian" certification allows some animal-derived ingredients like milk or eggs. They also have specific requirements for wine production methods. Managed by the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), is predominantly used in Europe, with particularly strong presence in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It has expanded to include certifications in South America and parts of Asia.
Specific protocols for wine fining agents:
- Detailed requirements for filtering processes
- Guidelines for equipment cleaning products
- Cross-contamination prevention protocols
- Experience with European wine regulations
- Recognition in major wine-producing regions
BeVeg is newer but notable for being accredited in accordance with ISO 17065. They're particularly strict about cross-contamination and have detailed facility inspection requirements. They also require companies to provide documented proof of vegan status for all ingredients. Operates internationally with a truly global scope. They have accredited certification bodies in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. They're notably active in the United States, India, and several European countries.
Specific protocols for wine fining agents:
- ISO 17065 accredited wine certification
- Strict facility inspection requirements
- International export considerations
- Detailed documentation requirements
- Focus on complete production chain verification
- Growing recognition in global markets
Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) certification focuses specifically on plant-based meat, egg, and dairy alternatives. Their unique requirement is that products must contain a minimum percentage of plant-derived ingredients. Certification is primarily focused on the United States market, though some certified products are sold internationally. Their influence is strongest in North American markets.
Specific protocols for wine fining agents:
- Not typically used for wine certification
- Focus on other food categories
- No wine-specific protocols
- Limited relevance for wineries
NSF International's Plant Based certification is similar to others but includes specific requirements for cleaning validation between vegan and non-vegan production runs in shared facilities. While based in the United States, operates globally through their international offices. They have a particularly strong presence in North America and Asia Pacific regions.
Specific protocols for wine fining agents:
- General certification applicable to wine
- Focus on facility cleaning validation
- Less wine-specific experience
- Standard vegan compliance checks
- Global recognition potential
The key differences between these labels lie in:
- Cross-contamination policies
- Facility inspection requirements
- GMO policies
- Testing requirements
- Geographic recognition
- Cost and renewal processes
- Specific ingredient restrictions
If accuracy in certification status is crucial for you, I'd recommend verifying current requirements directly with the certification bodies, as standards can change over time.
For wineries, the most practical and recognized options are typically The V-Label, The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark, and BeVeg, as they have the most experience with wine production and understand the specific challenges of vegan winemaking. These certifications have developed detailed protocols for addressing common winemaking issues like fining, filtering, and the use of processing aids.