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What Makes A Wine Vegan?

Not all wine is vegan-friendly. How can a product made from grapes not be vegan?

In the process of fining the wine, a protein-based product is used to clarify the wine prior to bottling. This removes any large particles and makes the appearance less hazy, clearer, and more appealing to consumers.

Fining agents can be sourced from animal-based products, such as egg whites, skim milk, gelatin, or fish bladders.

There are vegetarian alternatives for fining agents. At Kaimira we use a pea protein-based vegetarian product, and have used this exclusively since 2016. Prior to 2016, some of our wines were fined with skim milk. The product descriptions in our online shop indicate if the wine is vegan.

So unless you’re drinking our wines, how can you tell if your wine is vegan? Your best bet is to ask the winery (in case you needed an excuse to visit your local winery for a tasting!). You can also check the label for any allergy warnings, though this may not cover all your bases. There are some resources out there such as Taiao Cellar that have done the work for you, saving you a lot of time and research.

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