Vegan Wines
We are often asked if our wines are suitable for vegans. So we thought that we would shed some light on the issue here. Our dear dog, Pépin (means grape seed) would be a perfect illustration to this article.
So what exactly is it to be VEGAN? It is eating 100% vegetable based food: no animal flesh, eggs, dairy or honey. It also means not using any products (cleaning, cosmetic etc) made from animal fats, not wearing clothes derived from animals and not using anything that has been tested on animals.
And wine? Despite being made 100% from grapes its possible to find that animal substances have been used. For example, clarification which takes place at the end of the fermentation, involves filtering the residual solid matter, often using egg white or fish glue (substances derived from animals).
And at Famille Fabre ?
A wine that does not use fish glue or egg white during the winemaking process is therefore a vegan wine. It has had no contact with anything of animal origin throughout its development. After fermentation we use very fine clay (bentonite) or pea protein for fining, thus totally vegetable based. Our wines are technically VEGAN.
Our wines are not certified as vegan. Such official labels are based on what the winemaker themself declares and thus less reliable than other certifications. We prefer to explain our approach in full.
PS: In terms of taste, there is no taste or olfactory difference between a vegan or non-vegan wine!