With the number of vegans in the UK rising year on year, a plant-based way of life is not only attracting curiosity, but many are making the switch completely and reaping the benefits.
Toyed with the idea of going vegan? Already a fully-fledged plant-based superstar? Whether you're well on your journey or just starting out, you'll already know the benefits of going vegan, but one thing you might not have signed up for is the constant need to check the ingredients list before you chow down. It's never-ending, right?
Why go vegan?
As well as being the best way to help animals, going vegan can help you lead a healthier life, have more energy and even lose weight. You can discover new foods, get creative with your recipes and experience new restaurants. What’s more, veganism is better for the planet, creating less waste and pollution than eating meat.
If you’ve already decided to take the plunge, you’ll probably have noticed that while there are plenty of products you’ll be pleasantly surprised to hear are vegan, lots of things you’d think would be, actually aren’t. Take wine, for example. Many wines on the supermarket shelves aren’t vegan due to the way they’re processed - but how can one live without wine?
Why isn't wine vegan?
Ben Revell, the founder of the exclusive online wine club, Winebuyers, gives us the lowdown.
"Although made from grapes, not all of your favourite wines are vegan. This is because some wines are produced using a process called fining. Fining agents, made from animal products such as gelatine or egg whites, are used to help remove tiny molecules of proteins, yeast and other organic particles in young wines. This process also helps the wine taste less bitter and make it visibly clearer.
"Vegan wines replace animal-based finers with clay and vegetable-based products such as pea protein. Every action or inaction in the winemaking process has a direct result, however, the huge number of variables involved means it’s not fair to say if they taste better or worse. There are many expensive wines which haven’t been fined or filtered which are also vegan."
How do you know if a wine is vegan?
According to John Critchley, Commercial Director of Manchester-based importer Morgenrot, you should look for the green V.
"As there is no 'official' vegan stamp for wine labelling, we recommend that our suppliers get the V-Label certification, which is an internationally recognised, registered symbol for labelling vegan and vegetarian products. It’s a simple and reliable guide that can help winemakers promote transparency and clarity."
In restaurants, the staff should be able to advise you if the wine is vegan or not.
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We've searched for the best-reviewed products and asked our experts for their recommendations, so here are our top picks of vegan wines:
The best vegan wines
1 of 7Thomson & Scott Brut Organic Vegan Prosecco
If you're looking for the perfect vegan Prosecco to kick off your night, this one is a guilt-free and utterly DELISH option. At only 66 calories per 100ml and with no unnecessary additives, chemicals or sugar, you really can't go wrong.
2 of 7Sea Change Otter Label
Sea Change Otter Label range is simply excellent (and a bit cute). The Chardonnay is light and fruity, and the red Bobal is bursting with strong flavours and dark fruit. As a brand, Sea Change aligns with other causes vegans will love: it doesn't use plastics in packaging and a portion of the sale goes to fund ocean conservation.
3 of 7Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
This Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc is a certified vegan treat. Its fruity taste has yummy notes of grapefruit, peach and passionfruit, which is just as good on its own as with food. This winery gets bonus points because it's both vegan AND sustainable. Winning. It's also available at Vivino, Morrison's, Sainsbury's and Asda.
4 of 7Bardolino Chiaretto Rosé
Chiaretto is a dry and crisp rosé wine made from red wine grapes using white winemaking practices. Funky, huh? The colour is pale, and you'll find flavours and aromas of peach and blossom.
5 of 7Gavi Poderi Della Collinetta
Poderi della Collinetta are wines made by the famous winemaker, Roberto Sarotto. A firm favourite in Italy, this white provides a bouquet of floral overtones, with hints of pineapple, apricot and peach.
6 of 7La Gioiosa Rosea Brut, 75 cl
This La Gioiosa Rosea Brut tastes lush, huns. Not only does it have a lovely, light taste - but the bubbles are not too much, either. We're totally obsessed with this one. This drink went down a treat at Christmas. We all loved it - and wanted way more! As well as Amazon, you can grab this vegan sparkling rose at Ocado, Teco, Morrisons and more. It's fresh, fruity and makes such a pleasant drink.
Not a fan of rosé? (If so - why, not?) Not to worry...
Award-winning La Gioiosa has a regular prosecco - which also tastes fruity and amazing.
£7.99
7 of 7Masottina Treviso Extra Dry Prosecco
No one does Prosecco quite like Italy, so you know this bottle is going to be good. Perfect with salads, white meat or some nibbles at the start of the evening, this extra dry Prosecco is light, refreshing and totally moreish.
What to read next:
Easy peasy family-friendly vegan recipes to try this Veganuary
Accidentally vegan: foods you didn’t realise are completely plant-based