Vegans raise glass to wine without animal products

But a fledgling movement of vegan vineyards – who produce wine without the use of animal products - is taking hold across the country.

Traditionally, wine production involves using animal proteins, such as egg white, milk casein or pork gelatine, as a type of glue to help force suspended particles to the bottom of the barrel during the fermentation process.

Now several vineyards have started producing 100% vegan wine, and have been awarded the ‘V’ label by the European Vegetarian Union (EVU).

Until the end of 2016, there was no label in France for this type of wine but Château Beaubois in the Costières de Nîmes, told Connexion they were the fifth French producer to achieve this certification, and the first in the Occitanie region of the south.

At Château Beaubois, which is run by Fanny Molinié-Boyer, the use of egg white has been replaced by chickpea glue and they produce 300,000 bottles of vegan wine – red, rosé and white - each year.

Their wines have been described as “expressive, rich in complexity” and prices range from €13 to €36.

As well as replacing animal proteins with vegetable protein, vegan vintners must not use compost made from cow dung or horse manure, nor do they let the sheep graze in the vines.

www.chateau-beaubois.com