Can You Grow Vegan Grapes?
Wine is fermented grape juice, so all wine should be vegan. However, the complex winemaking process from the vineyard to the bottle calls for several additives, and some of them come from animals, starting with manure.
Manure has always been a way to give nutrients back to the soil. Nevertheless, not everyone in the vegan community believes manure is compatible with the vegan philosophy — most of the manure used in farms and vineyards comes from animals raised for slaughter. Many producers treat their vines with non-animal alternatives to grow vegan-friendly grapes; still, there are changes to be made in the winery as well to make vegan wine.
Vegan Wine in the Winery
Wine is vegan during the winemaking process until the last steps, after fermentation. The wine comes out of the fermentation tank a bit cloudy; it’s not crystal clear. And although there’s nothing wrong with that, most producers clarify and filter their wines to remove solids and floating organic matter, whether grape pulp or dead yeast.
The thing is, the most effective way of precipitating any remaining particles is by using a fining agent, and most of them are not vegan:
- Isinglass (from fish bladders)
- Gelatine (from bones and cartilage)
- Albumin (from egg whites)
- Casein (from milk)
Luckily, there are vegan fining agents, such as bentonite clay, activated carbon, and pea protein. If producers use these additives to polish their cloudy wines, the wine is 100% vegan.
What Does Vegan Wine Taste Like?
Substituting animal-based products in the vineyard and cellar for vegan alternatives doesn’t change the wine’s colour, flavour or aroma. Vegan wine tastes just like its non-vegan counterpart. In fact, since making vegan wine takes an effort and a few extra steps, the wine is often made more diligently, which means vegan wine is less likely to have defects.
Health-wise, is vegan wine better for you? Not really. All wine is equally healthy and even unhealthy if abused. Vegan wine, though, gives you peace of mind. There’s no doubt we should all consume fewer animal-based products — why not start with wine?
