VEGAN WINESVetted from Soil to Bottle

Is Wine Vegan? Why Most Wine Isn't

Short answer: often, no. Wine starts as fermented grape juice, but most wines are clarified, or "fined," before bottling, and many are clarified with ingredients that never appear on the label. Fining aids count as processing aids rather than ingredients, so the label doesn't have to tell you. A wine is truly vegan only when every step, from vineyard to cellar to bottle, is plant- and mineral-based.

That's exactly why Vegan Wines exists. We visit the vineyards, ask the uncomfortable questions, and vet every bottle from soil to bottle — so you never have to wonder what's in your glass.

How to Tell If a Wine Is Vegan

Four checks you can make in the aisle — from most to least reliable.

  1. 1

    Look for “unfined and unfiltered”

    Wines labelled unfined and unfiltered skip the fining stage entirely, so nothing was added to clarify them. Time and gravity do the work instead. A little natural sediment is normal and harmless, and it's a sign the wine was left to settle on its own.

  2. 2

    Look for a vegan certification mark

    Some bottles carry a Certified Vegan or V-Label logo on the back label. It's reliable when it's there, but most vegan wine is never certified — its absence proves nothing.

  3. 3

    Read the back label for vegan clues

    Some producers print "suitable for vegans" or name their fining method, such as bentonite or pea protein, on the back label. It's a helpful sign when it's there, but labeling rules vary by country, so a clean label alone is not a guarantee.

  4. 4

    Ask the winery directly

    Fining agents are treated as processing aids, not ingredients, so they legally never have to appear on the label. A short email to the winery is the only certain answer — it's exactly what we do for every bottle we list.

What Makes a Wine Vegan: Plant & Mineral Fining

Fining gently clarifies wine and softens its edges. Vegan winemakers get brilliant, balanced results with plant and mineral methods, or skip fining altogether.

Mineral

Bentonite Clay

A natural volcanic clay that gathers the proteins that cause haze and settles out of the wine, leaving whites and rosés bright and clear. It's one of the most widely used fining agents in the world.

Plant

Pea Protein

A gentle plant protein that softens firm tannins and polishes red wines, giving the same smooth, rounded finish winemakers look for.

Plant-based carbon

Activated Charcoal

Used sparingly to lift off-aromas and refine color, especially in white wines. A little goes a long way.

Mineral

Silica

A fine silica solution that helps tiny particles settle faster and more completely, often working alongside bentonite.

Time & gravity

Unfined & Unfiltered

Some winemakers skip fining entirely and let the wine settle naturally in the cellar, keeping more texture and character in the glass.

Our promise

Vetted from Soil to Bottle

Many wines are clarified with ingredients that never appear on the label, so we vet every step, from the vineyard to the cellar to the bottle, before a wine earns a place with us.

How Vegan Wine Is Made

Vegan winemaking is simply thoughtful winemaking. Bentonite clay, activated charcoal and pea protein clarify beautifully, and some of the most expressive wines are left unfined and unfiltered altogether. The family vineyards we partner with work this way, and their wines are better for it.

Our non-alcoholic vegan wines are coming soon. Join the waitlist to be first to taste.

Join the Waitlist

Vegan Wines in the Press

Read, watch and listen to the story behind Vegan Wines.