What makes a wine vegan? Plus 10 wines to try
With veganism on the increase, consumers are seeking vegan wine to go with their food. But what means that a wine is – or isn’t – suitable for vegans?
We take a deep dive into vegan wine and recommend 10 wines to try.
In 2024 around 2.5 million people in the UK were reported to be vegan, versus 1.4 million the previous year, according to information service website Finder. This is a staggering 79% rise year on year, showing that veganism is rapidly gaining ground.
The increasing move to eschewing the consumption of all animal products may be founded through people’s concern for animal welfare, their own health or climate impact.
Whatever the reasons behind it, many consumers are now looking to have higher levels of clarity in terms of what is in their glass.
What defines a vegan wine?
Given that wine is the product of grapes and yeast, some may assume that all wines would be appropriate for vegans, but this isn’t always the case.
Some products used in traditional fining (removing undesirable elements which have an impact on appearance or flavour) or stabilising processes (protection from various changes post bottling) are animal derived.
Examples include egg whites or casein (a protein found in milk), which can be used to remove tiny particles of sediment in a wine that cannot be removed by filtration.
However, there are other ways of carrying out these processes.
‘Vegan wines are made without animal products, so winemakers either leave the particles to sink naturally to the bottom of the wine, or use non-animal fining products, usually bentonite, a form of clay or pea protein,’ said former Waitrose & Partners wine expert, Matt Johnson.
Other animal products used in wine production may include beeswax (used to seal bottles) and agglomerated corks (which use milk-based glues).
Where to find vegan wine
In response to a growing market, many restaurants, wine bars and retailers are now highlighting vegan-friendly wines.
Majestic Wine previously told Decanter.com that it defined vegan wine as those that ‘will not have been fined, filtered or come into contact with anything derived from an animal or dairy source’. It currently stocks over 290 wines listed as vegan, compared to just 39 in 2018.
At the time of writing, Waitrose Cellar has almost 400 wines listed as vegan on its website.
Decanter’s Weekday Wines also shows which wines are labelled vegan and vegetarian, as well as those that are organic and biodynamic.
Ten vegan wines to try
The following vegan wines were recommended by Decanter experts.
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Château Val Joanis, Le Viognier Réserve, Méditerranée IGP, Rhône, France, 2022
<p>This unoaked, good-value Viognier is fruit-forward and almost exotic, with notes of peach, hawthorn and frangipane. It's fairly concentrated, but there is balance, and a lick of salinity adds complexity. Vegan.</p>
2022
Château Val JoanisMéditerranée IGP
Oenops, Kidonitsa, Macedonia, Greece, 2022
<p>Winemaker Nikos Karatzas sources parcels of organic grapes from across Macedonia and micro-vinifies plot by plot. This 100% Kydonitsa comes from Kilkis in Central Macedonia and is fermented in amphora with wild yeast. Complex aromatics with herbal, stone fruit, citrus and floral notes. The palate is fresh and mineral, with crunchy apple and pear fruit underpinned by linear acidity. A great summer white. Vegan.</p>
2022
Oenops
Cambalala, Sauvignon Blanc (paper packaging), Western Cape, South Africa, 2023
<p>Impossibly light, with a carbon footprint six times lower than a standard bottle, and made from 94% recycled paper, this is an impressive nod to ethical drinking. Blended with 15% Colombard, it's not the same wine as Cambalala's varietal 2023 Sauvignon Blanc in glass (better value at £5.99), but the gentle passionfruit tones and fresh acidity tick the boxes. Vegan.</p>
2023
Cambalala
Judith Beck, Beck Pink, Burgenland, Austria, 2023
<p>Shimmering proudly fuschia pink in the glass, this is a blend of Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch from biodynamic star Judith Beck. It’s full of bright and creamy red fruit, with lots of flavour and concentration. Incredibly clean and pure, it gushes with wild strawberry, cranberry and zesty orange rind, expertly balancing richness with a seam of fresh acidity. Vegan.</p>
2023
Judith Beck
Seifried Estate, Nelson Rosé, Waimea Plains, Nelson, New Zealand, 2023
Made predominantly from Malbec, this is a lively wine packed with vibrant summer fruits, florals and fresh herbs. Dry, with rich fruit concentration and some time on lees adding a creamy mouthfeel, its zippy acidity gives good freshness and vitality, making for a very moreish, easy to enjoy style. Suitable for vegans.
2023
Seifried EstateWaimea Plains
Bonny Doon, Le Cigare Orange, Central Coast, California, USA, 2024
<p>Bonny Doon’s winemaker Randall Grahm has triumphed again here (the Bonny Doon red and white at Tesco are also great buys). This mélange of Grenaches Blanc and Noir, Pinot Gris, Orange Muscat and Chenin Blanc is orange wine lite – orange wine for the mainstream, but delicious. The grape varieties were picked and fermented separately and the juice given around 15 days skin contact before blending. Fairly pale in colour for an orange wine, it’s fruit forward with aromas and flavours of peach and apricot, exotic fruit like kumquats, orange peel and soft spice. There’s a hint of pleasant bitterness and a little of the tannic grip that makes orange wine such a good gastronomic wine. Try it with simply grilled lamb chops. Vegan.</p>
2024
Bonny DoonCentral Coast
Mayu, Titon Vineyard Syrah Gran Reserva, Elqui Valley, Chile, 2018
<p>The Titon Vineyard in Chile's Elqui Valley sits at 350m altitude, is planted on rocky soils with decomposed granite, and enjoys foggy mornings for much of the year, helping to preserve freshness and aromatics in the grapes. Made by Italian winemaker Giorgio Flessati, this is very much Syrah rather than Shiraz, northern Rhône-like in style, with dark plummy fruit, ome savoury meatiness and subtle spice from 8-10 months in French oak. This vintage scored 95 points at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards, and no wonder – it's benchmark good-value, cool-climate New World Syrah. Mix-six price: £12.99. Vegan.</p>
2018
Mayu
CVNE, Cune Gran Reserva, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, 2015
From 45-year-old bush vines, an enticing nose of sweet cedary oak and ripe, spicy black fruit, hints of blueberry and black cherry. Rich black fruit melds with brighter plums, herb and spice notes weaving through. Good depth of fruit, integrated tannins and a long finish. Still lively – and will continue to evolve in bottle. Vegan.
2015
CVNERioja
Domaine de Roquemale, Les Terraces, Languedoc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
<p>This enjoyable blend of Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache and Mourvèdre comes from the 13ha organic estate of Valérie and Dominique Ibanez in Grès de Montpellier. Brambly blackberry and rhubarb aromas are followed by a spicy palate with ripe cherries, blackberry and raspberry, plus savoury hints and juicy, supple tannins that immediately make you think of food. Vegan.</p>
2021
Domaine de RoquemaleLanguedoc
Bruce Jack Wines, Off the Charts Pinotage, Breedekloof, South Africa, 2021
<p>Bruce Jack's great value Off The Charts range includes this juicy, approachable Pinotage from Breedekloof. Attractive nose of spicy red fruit, plums, blackberries and chocolate. The soft, smoky, spicy palate is packed with brambly black berries, with ripe tannins. A touch of oak (20% aged in new and used barrels) adds structure and enough grip for food pairing (think steak). Plenty of bang for your buck! Vegan.</p>
2021
Bruce Jack Wines
