In 2024 around 2.5 million people in the UK were reported to be vegan, versus 1.4 million the previous year, according to information service website Finder. This is a staggering 79% rise year on year, showing that veganism is rapidly gaining ground.
The increasing move to eschewing the consumption of all animal products may be founded through people’s concern for animal welfare, their own health or climate impact.
Whatever the reasons behind it, many consumers are now looking to have higher levels of clarity in terms of what is in their glass.
What defines a vegan wine?
Given that wine is the product of grapes and yeast, some may assume that all wines would be appropriate for vegans, but this isn’t always the case.
Some products used in traditional fining (removing undesirable elements which have an impact on appearance or flavour) or stabilising processes (protection from various changes post bottling) are animal derived.
Examples include egg whites or casein (a protein found in milk), which can be used to remove tiny particles of sediment in a wine that cannot be removed by filtration.
However, there are other ways of carrying out these processes.
‘Vegan wines are made without animal products, so winemakers either leave the particles to sink naturally to the bottom of the wine, or use non-animal fining products, usually bentonite, a form of clay or pea protein,’ said former Waitrose & Partners wine expert, Matt Johnson.
Other animal products used in wine production may include beeswax (used to seal bottles) and agglomerated corks (which use milk-based glues).
Where to find vegan wine
In response to a growing market, many restaurants, wine bars and retailers are now highlighting vegan-friendly wines.
Majestic Wine previously told Decanter.com that it defined vegan wine as those that ‘will not have been fined, filtered or come into contact with anything derived from an animal or dairy source’. It currently stocks over 290 wines listed as vegan, compared to just 39 in 2018.
At the time of writing, Waitrose Cellar has almost 400 wines listed as vegan on its website.
Decanter’s Weekday Wines also shows which wines are labelled vegan and vegetarian, as well as those that are organic and biodynamic.
Ten vegan wines to try
The following vegan wines were recommended by Decanter experts.
