Vegan Wine is wine that is free from all animal products and by-products
Avoiding animal products in wine:
Animal by-products can be used in two ways: as a clarifying agent (fining) (the vast majority of cases) and,
very occasionally, as a colouring agent.
The biggest concern for all vegetarians and vegans is the use of 'finings' in the manufacture of most wines and beers.
The fining process, clarifies and stabilises the wine there are many different fining agents that can be used most are not vegan,
see fining agents list. Wines that have not been through the fining process could be dull or have hazed appearance rather than the
bright and clear look that quality wine has. Also fining process can help remove some of the tannins from red wines.
The fining agent is added during the wine making process and removed before the wine is bottled so in theory none of the fining
agents should remain in the wine, but in practice it would be impossible to say that for sure.
The other solution is to locate and buy wine labelled as 'unfined and unfiltered' no fining agents so suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.
In the United States this is an increasingly popular wine style the idea behinh these wines is keep it simple ingredient wise and it will taste better.
There is also a band of wine drinkers who claim unfined and unfiltered wines go-off whilst in the bottle
developing off flavours therefore spoiling the taste.
Here is a list of the most common agents used during the wine fining process.