But aren't all wines vegan?

Well, you would think so right - being fermented grape juice. But, in the pursuit of clean, clear wines, fining and filtration are commonplace. Fining is defined as the addition of a substance that encourages unstable proteins in wine to clump together. In white and rosé wines these grape-derived proteins can create a haze which would be unattractive and seen as a fault. The haze is not normally visible in red wines, meaning that a higher percentage of red wines are unfined. Traditional fining agents include egg whites, milk protein (casein), fish protein (isinglass) and gelatine, all of which would make a wine vegan-unfriendly. Vegan-friendly fining agents include clay (bentonite) and vegetable protein.

With the rise in the number of people choosing to reduce their intake of animal products it is becoming increasingly common for fining agents to be noted on wine labels - but this isn't always the case. In fact, labelling laws only require that allergins are noted on wine labels, meaning that some fining agents do not need to be noted at all.

But all is not lost for vegan wine drinkers! In New Zealand many winemakers are choosing to show the New Zealand Vegan Society label on wines made without the use of animal products. The wines in the Aroha Wine Vegan Collection are made without the use of any animal products, they are delicious and ready to enjoy!