Why Vegan Wines are for Everyone (Not Just Vegans)

Frances Gonzalez, founder of Vegan Wines, chooses wines that are free of animal products from the soil to the glass for her wine clubs. But she wants people to know that her specially selected wines are for all wine drinkers – not just vegans. Everyone can enjoy, benefit from, and make a difference by choosing to drink vegan wine. Frances has strict guidelines for the wines featured by Vegan Wines and those bottles with her happy, wine-drinking cow logo.

When selecting a wine for her clubs, the very first rule is that the wine must taste exceptional. Vegan or not, as a friend in the restaurant industry says, “The juice must taste good.”  After a tasting, she arranges meetings to visit, research, and learn more about the winemaking process to help her decide what she’ll bring back to the Vegan Wines team. After she has vetted a wine to ensure that it’s not only vegan, but also ethically and environmentally conscious, the team must experience the wine together before the bottle finally makes it to the wine portfolio. They must genuinely feel that the wine tastes great, learn about its winemaking process and the vineyard where the grapes are grown, and decide that it will be suitable for enough palates before introducing it to Vegan Wines.  [caption id="attachment_1826" align="aligncenter" width="777"]

Frances personally visits vineyards, like this one in Chile[/caption]   Vegan Wines features wine made from grapes grown with the theory that “less is more.” Frances visits every vineyard to research and learn about the overarching “story” of the wine, from the grape to the glass. Vegan Wines partners with farmers who use natural fertilizers, like green manure (also known as cover crops) which add nutrients to the soil beneath the grapevines without the use of animal products. These farmers and grape growers pay close attention to the soil and understand that they must do their part to fight against climate change.   Vegan Wines also says no the use of manure as a fertilizer, because oftentimes, manure comes from farm factories in which the animals contain chemicals and antibiotics which are transferred in their manure to the soil and then onto the grapes, the wines, and our bodies. Frances looks for grape growers who refrain from using animal products in the fertilization process, as she, like many, believes this leads to harvesting better grapes and creating a better overall product.   She believes that we must begin at the soil and the roots in order to make great wines.  Veganism is more than simply not eating animals and considering one's impact on climate change. It is also about humanity. Frances researches how are the workers are treated at these vineyards and wineries. It is important to her that Vegan Wines only partners with ethical companies that create a positive working environment for their employees.  [caption id="attachment_1230" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

Chateau Beausejour, one of our beautiful French winery suppliers[/caption]   Vegan Wines has a portfolio of just over 40 wine varieties. At this very moment, Frances is visiting France and Italy in search of more wines for the company’s book. She will be sharing behind-the-scenes winemaking videos and photos on her social media accounts @myveganwines on Instagram and Facebook. Frances will also be meeting with bloggers like Tannin Time and Amber at SpitBucket.net while she’s there, so follow along!  Many of the wines that Frances selects are natural, which means they're often organic and gluten-free with low sugar content and low sulfites. But most importantly, they always taste great! Whether you’re vegan or not, if you’re a conscientious wine drinker with a taste for delicious varietals from around the world, the selection at Vegan Wines will be perfect for you!  Speaking of organic, we've updated our wine list in the shop so that you can see which wines are organic when you click to read more about them. This holiday season, order a few vegan wines or a wine club subscription for friends, loved ones, or even yourself to experience exceptional and naturally vegan wines chosen for you by a thoughtful, vegan wine expert! It's a gift that shows just how much you care! [caption id="attachment_2062" align="aligncenter" width="800"]

a selection of a few of our favorite French and Italian reds[/caption]   To follow Frances’s journey and learn more about our European partner vineyards and wineries, visit the following social media accounts: Chateau Beausejour  Chateau Les Maubats  Azienda Agricola Serracavallo  Castello Vicchiomaggio  Luca Di Tomaso  Terre del Gufo  Eraldo Dentici