Is wine vegan?
Quick answer
Not always. Fermented grape juice is naturally plant-based, but many wines are fined (clarified) with animal-derived products: egg white, casein (milk), isinglass (fish), or gelatine. Vegan wines use plant-based (pea, potato) or mineral (bentonite) fining agents instead.
Detailed answer
Wine is made from grapes, but the winemaking process often involves animal-derived substances during fining. Fining means adding an agent that binds to suspended particles (tannins, proteins, dead yeast) to precipitate them out and clarify the wine.
Traditional fining agents include: egg white (used in Bordeaux for centuries on reds), casein (milk protein, for whites), isinglass (fish swim bladder, for whites and roses), and gelatine (bovine or porcine). Although these agents are removed with the precipitated particles, trace amounts may remain.
Vegan alternatives exist and are becoming widespread: bentonite (clay), pea protein, potato protein, PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, a synthetic polymer), and activated charcoal. Some winemakers skip fining altogether, allowing the wine to self-clarify through natural sedimentation.
The 'vegan' label is not regulated by the EU on wine bottles, but private certifications (V-Label, The Vegan Society) verify wines free of animal products. Since December 2023, EU regulations (Regulation 2021/2117) require declaration of fining-derived allergens (egg, milk) on the label.
In practice, most unfined red wines, natural wines, and organic wines are often vegan by default, even without explicit certification. If it matters to you, look for the V-Label logo or contact the producer.