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It may come as a surprise to some people that not all wines can be consumed by vegetarians and vegans. After all, they are made with just grapes and other fruit, and yeast, right? Well, yes and no. Even though wines do not physically contain animal products, many wineries use proteins like gelatins, isinglass (fish bladder) or egg whites in their fining process. Fining refers to clarifying the wine so that no solid particles remain in the finished product. So, while these fining agents are filtered out and not actually an ingredient of the wine, the mere fact that the wine has been filtered through them makes them unsuitable for vegetarians, and especially vegans.

There is also a common misconception that organic wines are necessarily fit for vegan consumption. That is no more true than to say that all vegan wines are necessarily organic. In fact, there are very few truly organic wines produced in the US, at least by the definition set forth by the USDA’s National Organic Program, which stipulates that organic wine is made from organically grown grapes and without the addition of sulfites, a common preservative. And either way, organic does not mean that the wine will not be fined using animal proteins, as some fining of organically-made wines is done using agents garnered from organically-raised animals. Fortunately, there are now a fair number of wineries worldwide which filter their wines – both organic and non-organic – using minerals like kaolin, silica, and bentonite clay as fining agents, producing truly vegan-friendly wines.

So, then, what wine is best served with vegan cuisine? Tofu makes an easy pairing because of its neutral flavor. Any wine – red, white, blush or champagne – can complement tofu easily. For other foods, the guiding factors then become the meal itself and how it is seasoned. Like any food-wine pairing, this will come by trial and error. As a rule of thumb, light-bodied wines should be served with lighter foods, and more full-bodied wines should be paired with richer, heartier dishes.