Wine expert Joelle Thomson shares one of the fastest growing wine trends - vegan. Editor Trudi Brewer shares three she rates, and guess what - you don’t have to be meat-free to be a fan.
“The better the quality of the wine, the more likely it is vegan friendly.”
You may be surprised to learn lots of wines tick the vegan box because they are made without using animal products. The problem is, how do you know unless it states it clearly on the labels? With this thought in mind, a growing number of wineries do tick the vegan-friendly box (or circle, as the case happens to be with the vegan logo displayed on bottles) - and many, are also at the top of their game. In fact, the better the quality of the wine, the more likely it is vegan friendly, here’s why. Fining is a process that removes small particles from wine. These contain flavour and texture but can also look out of place in high volume, drink-me-now wines where people want a crisp, clear and clean-looking vino in their glass. Animal products are often (not always) used as fining agents because they are protein-based and easily bind with those small fragments left in the wine after fermentation. The fining agent is then removed from the wine but minuscule traces can remain, which is where the issue lies. A handful of winemakers this year confessed to me that many New Zealand wines are vegan-friendly because “we have so much clay in this country, which happens to be an extremely effective fining agent over animal products to remove particles from wine.” Well-known Australian wine Yalumba has also just launched a range of wines called The Vegan Wine Project, which I have included in this month’s bunch of the best. Vegan or not, these wines are a great option to try this summer - enjoy.
Yalumba Paradox Shiraz $36, 2015
If you’re a big fan of powerful dark fruit flavours and big reds, then here’s a wine that fits the bill beautifully – and it’s vegan friendly. The paradox is a big, bold, dark-fruited wine with a full body and firm tannin structure balanced by refreshing acidity. I love its rich flavours and its elegant lithe silky mouthfeel, it’s a stunning red, which ticks two boxes vegan-friendly and sustainable.
Serve with: BBQ seasonal vegetables, to add that smoky flavour to your meal.
Graze with: Grilled capsicum, almonds and nutty crackers.
Joelle’s rating: 18.5/20
Yalumba Paradox Shiraz $36, 2015
The Vegan Wine Project Rose $17, 2020
The Vegan Wine Project Rose $17, 2020
All Yalumba Wines are vegan-friendly and have been for many years. However, this refreshing new range is even clearer, and this fresh new pinkie is a great place to begin your vegan wine journey. It has a light touch of pink from minimal skin contact with grapes grown along the banks of the Murray River in South Australia. It’s a fresh, light-bodied rose with flavours that remind me of fresh strawberries and raspberries - think crisp with a fresh finish.
Serve with: Tomato paella.
Graze with: Seasonal vegetables, capers and coconut yoghurt drizzled with lemon oil.
Joelle’s rating: 17.5/20.
Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir from $99, 2016
North Canterbury is home to a growing number of New Zealand’s best Pinot Noirs and this is the queen, in my view. Vegan-friendly it’s made with grapes grown on free-draining, north-facing (all day sun) terraces in Waipara, (a small town in North Canterbury). This is a windy, hot, dry region where the 30-year-old Pinot Noir vines can struggle to produce large crops, so their flavours are super concentrated. A third of the grapes in this wine were fermented as whole bunches, to provide structure, and the wine then spent 18 months, 60 per cent ageing in Burgundian oak, (the other 40 per cent in new barrels). It drinks beautifully right now but can undoubtedly age for another decade if you have the willpower to wait. One word: Delicious.
Serve with: Vegetarian lasagne with mushrooms and eggplant.
Graze with: Ciabatta, olives and hummus, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
Joelle’s rating: 19/20.
Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir from $99, 2016