WINE GUIDE
Vegetarian Wines
Your guide to vegetarian and vegan wines.
Everything you need to know about vegetarian and vegan wines
It may come as a surprise to know that some wines are not vegetarian or vegan given that wine is simply a fruit derivative, however, even though wine itself is entirely fruit based, when it no longer becomes vegetarian or vegan-friendly is during the production process, or more specifically – during the clarification stage, using a process known as ‘fining.’
With increasing numbers of people becoming vegetarian and veganism on the rise, here at Firth & Co, we believe it is important to make our customers aware of the differences and ensure you choose a wine that is suitable for your dietary needs.
What is the wine making process?
The production of wine involves several stages to get it to the beautiful, clear drink you enjoy.
Fermentation
Fermentation is the first stage, when the juice from the grapes is converted into alcohol. With white wine, this is simply the grape juice, in red wine, the entire grape is used. This process involves the grapes or grape juice being put into a fermentation tank to allow yeast to grow, triggering a reaction with the natural sugars. Yeast can be present already or can be added to the mix to help the process.
This can result in the wine appearing cloudy or hazy and even though it would be acceptable to drink and would be harmless to the consumer, appearance is everything and in order to get the wine crystal clear and aesthetically pleasing to the eye, the majority of winemakers will use further techniques to remove the particles from the wine.
Filtration
Some winemakers will use filtration as a first step in the clarification process. This is using a filter to extract to the larger, more visible particles in the wine. As some of the finer filters can also cause the wine to lose it’s character and affect the taste, fining is then used to fully clarify the wine.
Fining
Fining is the term used to describe the process of adding a fining agent into the wine. This is a gentle way of clarifying the wine and works by adding a negatively charged product into the wine itself which then attracts the particles present, causing clumps to form. These heavier clumps sink to the bottom of the tank, leaving the wine clear and bright.
This process not only keeps the wine clear but also helps with stabilising the wine by removing tannins and proteins and prevents it from becoming cloudy once bottled.
The fining agents used during this stage of production are what causes a wine to no longer be vegetarian or vegan. This is because the most common agents used are gelatine, casein – which is a milk protein, egg albumen and isinglass which is a substance extracted from fish.
How do winemakers make vegetarian and vegan wines?
In order to give a wine vegetarian or vegan status, the processing agents used as part of the fining process are key. Wineries that use milk proteins or egg albumen during clarification are suitable for vegetarians and their production process doesn’t have to change. However, if wineries are looking to expand their market to include vegans then there are several ways they can do it.
Some wines can be clarified by simply letting gravity do the work, letting small particles of wine drip to the bottom of a barrel or tank. This is a long process however and in today’s fast moving economic market, isn’t particularly cost-effective for businesses.
The most common production technique used to produce vegan wine is to use an alternative fining agent to the traditional animal products. Wineries have had the same success using pea-protein, a vegan-friendly gelatin alternative or form of mineral clay known as Bentonite to help clarify their wines.
One of the more modern technologies being adopted by some winemakers is the use of a centrifuge. This is an efficient process that quickens the clarification process with the use of a high speed separator and negates the need for agents, keeping the wine both vegetarian and vegan.
Vegetarian and Vegan Wine from Firth & Co
One of the cornerstones of our business as a wine merchant is our personal service. We want everyone to be able to enjoy interesting and well-made wines from around the world and that includes vegetarian and vegan wines.
As animal products used during the production process are not an additive to the wine, winemakers are not required to put this on their ingredients list, therefore it can sometimes be hard to tell whether a wine is vegan-friendly. Although winemakers are beginning to label their wines to say whether they are suitable for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, if you are wanting to try a quality wine that has been produced without the use of animal products and are unsure of what wine to purchase, we are here to provide exceptional service and talk you through which wine would be best for you.
Contact us either by telephone on 01609 770875, email us orders@firthandco.com or even chat to our friendly team on Whatsapp! 07590 428081.
FIRTH & CO
More Wine Guides
WINE GUIDE
Our Producers
We work very closely with our supply partners from all over the world. We hope you enjoy browsing their websites.
WINE GUIDE
Natural Wines
Learn more about what goes in to making natural wines, with all it’s advantages and disadvantages.
WINE GUIDE
Organic Wines
Everything you need to know regarding organic and bio-dynamic wines, from the production to the environmental benefits.
WINE GUIDE
Food & Matching Wines
By learning what works well together, you have the knowledge to choose the right wine accompaniment for any future dishes.
WINE GUIDE
Bottle Sizes
Here you can find the most commonly used bottle sizes, their names and whether they are specific to a particular region.
FIRTH & CO 2025
Wine List 2026
We take pride in presenting you with the Firth & Co Wine List for 2026 (Official version coming soon)
Our 2026 wine list is now available to view and includes all the latest additions to our portfolio. Please note that the catalogue is still being finalised and currently uses the same artwork as our 2025 edition while the finished version is prepared.
Thank you to Lucy Pittaway for allowing us to use her fantastic artwork.
To view, please click the link below.Â
STAY IN THE LOOP
Newsletter
We look forward to telling you about many great wines, interesting producers, special offers, as well as new ideas and plans for the future in our regular newsletters.
Your data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Notice