Our Owner & Founder
Frances Gonzalez, a long-time vegan and wine lover, began Vegan Wines based on her own struggles with finding and selecting wine that was 100% free of animal products.
The idea for Vegan Wines was born in France. While on a wine tasting tour, Frances heard her guide say the words “egg whites” and her ears perked up. For the first time, she learned that animal products are frequently involved in the winemaking process, particularly in fertilization and fining, making the end product unsuitable for vegans.
She discovered that there were vegan wine clubs in Europe but none in the US – and so the idea for Vegan Wines was born!
Having been routinely frustrated when trying to order vegan wine in restaurants or locate animal-friendly bottles in shops, Frances now seeks to make the wine selection process easier for vegans and other environmentally conscious wine lovers, while also spreading awareness about the wine industry and veganism.
Today, Frances travels to wineries around the world to taste and select wine for our wine clubs, ensuring that the winemaking methods are completely free from animal products before asking businesses to partner with Vegan Wines.
According to Frances, “Vegan Wines is not just about wine. It’s about knowing exactly what you’re drinking. During my tastings, I talk with the owner, wine tasting manager, or winemaker. I go directly to the source to verify that the wine is vegan from the soil to the fining and filtering processes. I want our customers to feel confident knowing what’s in their wine.”
