What is Vegan Wine?

Vegan Wine is a Surprising and Delightful Complement to Vegan Food - Satisfying the Strictest of Vegetarian Demands!

During the wine making process both organic and non-organic vintners typically employ the use of clarifying/fining agents derived from animal products - those ranging from egg whites, egg albumin, casein (milk protein) and gelatin (derived from animal bones) to chitin (obtained from lobster and crab shells) and isinglass
(a fish by-product).

Fining is the process which makes cloudy wine clear, and removes "off" tastes and unwanted substances missed during the filtration part of the process. As the fining agents are poured into the wine, they pass from top to bottom, acting as magnets that attract the unwanted particles. Once completing their journey they are removed - theoretically leaving no traces of them behind.

It is the agents used for fining that determine the suitability of wine for Vegans. Fining agents used to process Vegan Wines are typically organic, plant or mineral-based material such as bentonite clay, kaolin, carbon or diatomaceous earth (rock made from pulverized algae).

It is fortunate that there are wines available that have had no contact with animal matter whatsoever. It is unfortunate however that finding them is difficult, as they are not always readily available, or clearly labeled. Then too, once you locate one of these Vegan Wines you'll find that it may not be produced as vegan in a subsequent vintage of that same wine.

What is Biodynamic Wine?

Biodynamic Wine is Truly the Hallmark of Natural Flavor in Wine!

The proof is on your palate! For those who have tasted biodynamic wines, you know what we mean. For those who have yet to taste them, you're in for a treat.

Comparatively speaking, biodynamic is like "ultra" organic, and is actually the oldest system of organic agriculture known, dating back to 1924. Most people are aware of the superior quality, nutritional value and flavor of organic foods. With respect to wine, the theory is that better-tasting wine is the result of better-tasting grapes, which result from healthier vines and healthier soil - seems rather logical.

. Organic vintners shun synthetic chemicals in favor of nurturing soil and plants in an ecologically sound manner. They follow nature's lead in combating plant and soil adversities with natural remedies - No synthetics for us to digest.

. Biodynamic viticulture adheres to the same natural practices as organic viticulture, but places even more emphasis on nourishing the soil while caring for the vines - using natural remedies and stringent vinification processes. The biodynamic grape grower carries organic to the next level by supporting and intensifying nature's processes to heal vineyards damaged by decades of previous pollution.

Biodynamic viticulture is in tune with the totality of forces affecting the growth of the vines and their fruit. Believing that plants respond to all the various forces of nature, biodynamic vintners conduct their farming practices on strict schedules in accordance with the cycles of the moon, planets and stars. They have been able to us that total harmony with nature to optimize the taste that you experience with biodynamic wines.

Gradually, more vintners are moving toward biodynamic viticulture because they know it works, and wine critics are finding more and more that biodynamic wines have cleaner taste, better aroma and a longer finish.

Organic Wine Types

2000 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Pierre André

NV Champagne Carte d’Or Brut, Serge Faust

1999 Chianti Classico Riserva, Casina Di Cornia

Port Finest Reserve Casal dos Jordoes

2003 St.Chinian, Château Bousquette Prestige

NV Cartagène Prestige Dessert Wine, André Bourguet

2004 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Guy Chaumont

Blanquette de Limoux Brut Delmas

2004 Chianti Classico, Casina di Cornia

2004 Syrah, Mas de Janiny

2003 Bordeaux, Château Moulin de Peyronin Capucine

2002 Limoux, Domaine Delmas Chardonnay

2003 St.Chinian, Château Bousquette Tradition

2006 Prosecco Perlage Riva Moretta

2006 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Guy Bossard

2003 Coteaux du Languedoc, Château Véronique

2006 Bordeaux, Château Moulin de Peyronin

2006 Côtes-du-Rhône, Domaine des Cèdres

2006 Pinot Grigio Perlage

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Domaine de Bajac

2002 Merlot Domaine de Bajac

The fundamental idea behind organic anything is health. There is an enormous amount of scientific evidence documenting how pesticides, weed killers, fungicides and other synthetic chemical substances damage the health of our soil. They also affect the health of plants grown in it, which in turn affects the health of the fruit and anything else in the extended chain - including you and I.

If it goes into the soil or onto a plant, it will be absorbed and transferred to whatever follows. What's the likelihood that chemically sprayed grapes grown in chemically altered soil will give us wine whose taste is unaltered?

By using conventional viticulture with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides it throws the natural harmony of a vineyard and winery completely off balance. The soil is stripped of minerals essential to its health, thus necessitating an ever-increasing reliance on artificial inputs to restore what has been lost. The chain never ends.

CATEGORIES OF WINES

Wine can be made from almost any vegetable matter. However, when referring to grape wine, there are three basic categories; red, white and rosé (pronounced "rose-ay") which is a pinkish wine. More on this later.

Wine contains sugar. The less sugar the "drier" the wine. When you buy wine at a wine store, you will notice that each bin is usually classified with a number "1", "2" or "3". The higher the number, the sweeter the wine.

The alcohol content of wine is between 9% and 12%. This is because the yeast used to make wine reaches its tolerance at about 12% then it stops fermenting. But, you ask, what about brandy, sherry and port? Their alcohol content can be as high as 20%. True.

Spirits are alcohol which is made by means of distillation. Brandy, sherry, and dubonnet are distilled from grape wine. Liqueurs however are generally distilled from fruit wines. Distilled wines are call Apertifs (ah-pair-teefs) and are usually served before a meal with or without an appetizer. No further information is available on this site about distillation except to say that doing it at home is illegal and can kill you if you don't do it exactly right. Beware the evils of methyl alcohol. Condsider yourself warned.

Table wine is served (surprise) at the table with dinner. Usually the wine will be dry in order to complement rather than compete with the food being served. As an only very general rule, white wine is served with white meat and, conversely, red wine is served with red meat. The reason being is that the flavours of most white wines are subtle as are the flavours of most white meats, therefore there is no competition for the taste buds. Red wines generally have a stronger flavour as do most red meats and the taste buds can handle the equality of flavours.

Still not sure which wine to serve? Compromise and delight with a rosé. It is fairly dry, goes with almost everything and generally pleases everyone.

Dessert wines are sweet and usually served with (surprise again) dessert. Mosëlle and sauternes are such wines.

After-dinner wines are (take a guess) served after dinner. They are sweet wines which are either spirits (see above) or fortified wines which means alcohol was added to the wine after fermentation stopped. Port, sherry and brandy fit this category. So do liqueurs.