Is Wine Vegan?

A smooth, flavorful glass of wine will calm even an over-stressed soul. But have you ever wondered what is actually in your wine? For those of us who choose not to consume animal products this is a question that may come up often.

So you are thinking: What? Of course wine is vegan, it’s made out of crushed grapes, right? Although, grapes and other fruits may be the main ingredient, the fining process of wine is not always vegan. Depending on the winery, wines can be filtered through a number of ways. Some wineries use animal products such as gelatin (made from cow or pig bones) or casein (derived from milk) or even chitin (fish bladders). However, some wines are processed using vegan friendly and non animal bi-products such as plant derived casein and certain types of clays. If you’re curious about learning more about the vegan filtering process, we recommend that you check out Veggie Wines, a UK-based vegan information organization, or the May 2006 article on the topic by Vegetarians in Paradise.

So what about organic wines? Many of them boast a non filtered or organic natural fining process, but are they necessarily vegan? Organic wines that are completely unfiltered are usually vegan and will most likely state this right on the label. We recommend the oldest organic vineyard in the country and multiple award-winner Frey Wines (which was also very popular at our World Fair Trade Day organic wine tasting earlier this month!). Or you can check out the vegan sampler from The Organic Wine Company which is a great value and a fun way to taste test vegan organic wines!

So, when choosing your next bottle to share with friends and family, whether you or vegan or not, remember: organic wines are easier on the environment and, best of all, will not leave you with a throbbing wine-over the next day!

Organic Demand and Prices Will Drop! :)

So here’s the deal. As the current recession slowly reduces the demand for organic ingredients, the total supply of available organic products falls back in line with the total demand. This means premium pricing will start to tail off, and experts claim it should start as soon as fall 2009, i.e. right now! So says the Organic Monitor, which keeps tabs on the international organic industry.

In short, there’s enough organic stuff to satisfy people’s needs, so sellers can’t keep gouging consumers. And the good news is the Organic Monitor believes the price drop will continue for a couple of years. Plus the lower prices will help improve sales for low-cost organic retailers, and private labels. Although, the Organic Monitor does warn that the recession will effect the growth of the organic market. It won’t halt it, but will slow it down a bit.

So feel some relief the next time you shop for supper. When you’re picking up your organic burgers or grilling your own, remember to bring on the big, bold red Bleasdale Langhorne Creek Cabernet Shiraz 2006 . This wine has lots of robust fruit and peppery spice to hold its own with juicy, beefy flavors. The toasty-smoky flavor from the barrel complements grilled meats. This smooth easy drinking red with vibrant red berry aromas that complement the spicy notes which are apparent on the palate. The minimal use of French oak gives the wine complexity and an elegant toastiness that integrates well with the juicy forest fruits characters. Bleasdale Langhorne Creek Cabernet Shiraz 2006 can be found at wines.com!