Vegans Beware

Since wines are made from grapes, many people assume that wines are vegan. After all, grapes are fruits. While it is true that some wines are vegan, not all of them are. Freshly made wine is cloudy in appearance. Large molecules eventually settle to the bottom, but winemakers can accelerate this process by using “fining agents” derived from eggs and meat to clarify the wine. The fining agents attract molecules and form larger particles that can be filtered out sooner, thereby speeding up production. It is possible that some small traces of the fining agents remain in the finished wine, making it technically not vegan. Fortunately, there are vegan wines available that are made using non-animal fining agents.

There is an increasing number of wine stores that specialize in more natural wines such as organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. For more information about the wine selections at JULIO’S LIQUORS, please call 508-366-1942 or visit us at 140 Turnpike Rd., Rt. 9 East. With a wide variety of fine wines, spirits, beer, and tobacco, we also have many other unique items that set us apart from the average liquor store. We can help you find what you’re looking for!

HINT: There are presently no laws mandating that a wine label must indicate what type of fining agents were used during the production of the wine.