“Will you take red, white? vegetarian wine?” A wine waiter at your favourite restaurant might ask you this question. It may not be the kind of question you expect, but perhaps it should be. Wine, although made from grapes, can also be made using animal derived products, and this is what the majority of people are unaware of. The reason all wines are not vegan or even vegetarian-friendly is how the wine is clarified, and a process aptly referred to as ‘fining’.
Process of Making Vegetarian Wine
Wine, as we know, is made mostly from sulphites, yeast, and grapes. However, what the majority do not know is that, in the wine industry the finished product is always cloudy. Why? Because the environmental factors such as soil and plants affect the overall outcome of the wine. Most people object to taking cloudy wine, along with the sediment that is left floating. So it is taken to a clarification process called fining, which removes sediments and eliminates the cloudiness.
If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, fining can take on a whole new meaning. The fining agents that pick up sediments in the wine and eliminate its cloudy appearance are made of animal products such as, isinglass (also called fish glue, is made from the bladder of the sturgeon fish), gelatin (is an animal protein from the skin and connective tissue of pigs and cows), casein (a milk protein) and albumen (produced from egg whites). These agents are used to fine the wine.
What Makes A Wine Vegetarian?
The fining agent used determines whether the wine is vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Vegetarian wine is either unfined or fined with inorganic products such as silica clay that is bentonite – which acts as an agent to improve the cosmetic appearance of the wine. Vegans object to the fining process which the wine is produced as traces of the fining agent may remain in the wine – albeit fining agents not being an ingredient in the wine.
Food and Wine Matching
The pairing of wine and food is a matter of personal taste because it is difficult to pinpoint specific wines that match specific vegetables. The best way to achieve a delicious combination is to match vegetarian meals with wine according to the sauces, fats and oils, spices and herbs used. Vegetarian wines have identification on theirs labels.
Waitrose Cellar has put together a vegetarian foodie wine case which comes with a booklet ‘Vegetarian food and wine matching.’ Wines individually priced from £8.99 to £14.99
some of the vegetarian food and wine pairings suggestions:
Gewürztraminer Alsace – floral, fruity, citrus and slightly sweet goes well with spicy curries
Sauvignon Blanc -great with sharp vegetarian cheeses, tomato or goats’ cheese salads, buttery asparagus
Malbec – great with robust dishes, aubergine in tomato sauce, cauliflower balls filled with stilton, quiches with strong cheeses, etc.
Pinot Noir – red fruits notes and light red goes well with vegetable pies and mild dishes.
other wine options from the Cellar
Gluten- free wines including alcohol-free Riesling.
Christmas cases for the whole family
Prices range from £35 for 3 bottle gift case to £49 rose case of 6 to £250 for a case of 6 specially selected wines, variety includes champagne and a premium selection of red and white wine, offering a wonderful variety of style and flavour
 |
| fortified wines |
Fortified wines
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without fortified wines! They are treacly with beautiful jewelled colours. Wines with 17-20% alcohol. They are wines that are made from adding additional alcohol during the fermentation process. There’s a fortified wine for every taste: dry, sweet, medium-sweet. They can be served as aperitif or dessert, cheeses, chocolates, fresh fruits, dried fruits, ice creams and paired with nuts too. Waitrose cellar has a great variety to suit all tastes and pockets. My favourite is Pedro Ximénez – thick, sweet and molasses finish to die for!
 |
| something sparkling for Christmas |
A drink that needs no introduction, the true festive beverage that puts everyone in the party mood! Waitrose Cellar has some crackers in store, including some local British bubbles, my favourite local bubbly is Nyetimber Rose, fruity, crisp and elegant finish, for more suggestions on local wines: English and Welsh wine
Champagne : ‘sparkling wine produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France following rules that demand secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to create carbonation. Some use the term Champagne as a generic term for sparkling wine,but the majority of countries reserve the term exclusively for
sparkling wines that come from Champagne and are produced under the
rules of the appellation.’
Disclosure: I was invited to Waitrose Autumn wine tasting in October. I am not vegetarian but I was intrigued by vegetarian wines. All views, as usual, are mine.
