Going vegan has never been so easy

T’S NOT like there is a lot of meat in wine. But with half a million Britons now taking part in Veganuary, more and more of us are turning our noses up at non-vegan wine. And, no, despite being mostly made from squished up grapes, wine is not the ultimate plant-based drink. It’s all to do with “fining agents”, added to help winemakers remove particles and clarify their wine.

Traditionally these have been derived from animals or fish, including gelatine (made from animal skin, bone and cartilage), isinglass (gelatine from fish bladders) and egg whites. Such agents bind to unwanted particles, making them big enough to be filtered out. However, producers are increasingly using vegan options to clarify wine – charcoalbased agents, bentonite clay, silica gel or pea gelatine work equally well – or simply letting the wine clear naturally.

While there is no legal requirement for producers to list fining agents, the increasingly lucrative vegan movement is nudging them towards such clarity. More producers now state whether their wine is unfined, unfiltered or full-on vegan. And supermarkets increasingly list vegan offerings online.

But does vegan wine taste different? Not a bit of it.The choice of fining agent has zero impact on taste, though wine that has not been fined or filtered might be less clear.

So whether you’re vegan full-time, giving up animal products for Veganuary or fancy a change, try some mouthwatering suggestions below.