So let’s dig into a topic that is not just about wine.

On November 1st we celebrate World Vegan Day. Veganism seems to be quite a hot topic, but what exactly does it mean and what does it have to do when it comes to wine?

November 1st we celebrate World Vegan Day (Photo: Jules Marchioni, unsplash.com)

Well, World Vegan Day 2023 celebrates the positive impact of veganism on the planet, animals, and human health.

This annual event encourages embracing a vegan lifestyle, which avoids using animal products for any purpose. It is also a chance to educate and raise awareness about animal rights, sustainability, and compassionate choices worldwide.

The history of World Vegan Day

In 1994, Louise Wallis, Chair of The Vegan Society in the UK, founded World Vegan Day to mark the organization's 50th anniversary. Since then, it has grown into a global celebration inspiring compassion and sustainability.

World Vegan Day has been pivotal in promoting veganism as a viable, ethical lifestyle benefiting animals, the planet, and human health.

Make your contribution to a positive impact on the planet (Photo: Briggs Boyd, unsplash.com)

How can wine be vegan?

Normally one would think wine is a completely vegan product by nature, since it is made of grapes and natural yeasts.

But what makes the difficulty here are the traditional fining agents as they can render a wine non-vegan friendly. Substances like egg whites or casein (a milk protein) are employed to eliminate minuscule sediment particles not effectively removed by filtration. Nonetheless, alternative methods for achieving this purpose are gaining popularity.

Vegan wines are crafted without the use of animal-derived substances. Winemakers allow particles to naturally settle at the wine's base for instance, or opt for non-animal fining agents, typically bentonite, a type of clay, or pea protein.

Additional animal-derived ingredients in wine production can encompass beeswax, employed for bottle sealing, and agglomerated corks utilizing glues derived from milk or gelatine.

All these are options to get vegan alternatives.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s have a vegan drink to make your contribution to a positive impact on the planet.

A toast to that!

Lotte Gabrovits