| How to be sure, when you are vegetarian or | | | | • Albumin or White egg is tolerated by |
| vegan to taste a vegetarian wine or vegan wine? | | | | vegetarians. This is often used to soften |
| Well, it is the agent used during the fining process | | | | bitterness (usually in red wine) and is a protein |
| which determines the suitability of wine for | | | | soluble in water. Up to five fresh egg whites are |
| vegetarians or vegans. Fining is a clarification | | | | used per 225L cask of wine. If albumin (egg |
| process, clarifying the wine makes it bright and | | | | whites) is used, then the eggs would have to |
| sparkly. Gravity would naturally do on its own, but | | | | come from Organic or Biodynamic (and intrinsically |
| fining speeds it up a little. In some cases if the | | | | free range) chickens. |
| wine is in bad condition fining can help to improve | | | | • Chitosan comes from the shells of shellfish |
| the wine, removing hazes and altering flavour. | | | | and crustaceans. It is tolerated by neither |
| Fining works by electrostatic attraction – if the | | | | vegetarians not vegans. |
| element in the wine that needs to be removed | | | | • Bentonite is used to stop white wines turning |
| has a negative charge, then a fining agent with a | | | | into cloudy in warm weather. It is tolerated by |
| positive charge will be added. The fining agent | | | | vegetarians and vegan. |
| thud acts as a magnet, and collects the unwanted | | | | • PVPP (Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone) is an |
| matter in the wine, which sinks to the bottom of | | | | oenological product which is a yellowish white |
| the tank. Then the clear wine is racked or | | | | powder, insoluble in water, organic solvents and |
| decanted off the sediment into a clean tank. | | | | aqueous alcohol. PVPP is used in red wine to fixe |
| The fining agents or finings include Gelatin, | | | | anthocyanin. It leaves no residue in the wine. |
| Isinglass, Bentonite, PVPP, Albumin, Casein, | | | | • Casein is used to soften bitterness and is the |
| Chitosan and Carbon. | | | | main protein of milk. Casein is often used in white |
| • Gelatin is derived from animal bones, | | | | wine to remove off colours. It is tolerated by |
| tolerated neither by vegetarians nor vegans. | | | | vegetarians. |
| Mainly used in red wine. | | | | • Carbon is used to strip off flavours from |
| • Isinglass: A very pure protein obtained from | | | | rotten grapes when pressed. It is tolerated by |
| the bladders of various unfortunate fishes including | | | | vegetarians and vegans. |
| the sturgeon. Used in red and whites, tolerated | | | | Who doesn’t agree with the opinion of many |
| neither by vegetarians or vegans. Manufactured | | | | of organic and biodynamic growers which is that |
| isinglass is not allowed for organic farming. Used in | | | | the more a wine is interfered with, the less it |
| red and white wine. | | | | expresses its true character. |