Vegan wine UK — what's actually vegan and what to drink
Vegan wine UK — what's actually vegan and what to drink
Quick one to clear up a confusing corner of the wine world: most wine in the UK isn't vegan. Most natural wine is. If you're looking for vegan wine in the UK and you've been squinting at supermarket back labels trying to work out whether the Pinot Grigio is animal-free, this is for you. At Natty, the bulk of our shelf is made by independent winemakers who skip the animal-based stuff out of habit, not marketing. Here's the plain-English version of what's going on, plus a list of vegan natural wines we'd actually drink.
Why isn't all wine vegan in the first place?
Wine is grape juice, fermented, bottled. So far, so vegan. The animal bit creeps in at a stage called fining — that's when winemakers add a clarifying agent to pull out the cloudy bits before bottling. The traditional fining agents include egg whites, gelatine (cow or pig), casein (milk protein) and isinglass (a particularly grim one made from fish bladders). None of it ends up in the final bottle in any meaningful amount, but it's used during production, which means the wine isn't vegan.
UK labelling rules don't force wineries to declare fining agents on the back label, which is why working out whether your supermarket bottle is vegan can feel like detective work. The Vegan Society's trademark, the Vegetarian Society logos and the wording "suitable for vegans" are all reliable, but they're not on every bottle that qualifies — plenty of vegan wines just don't bother applying.
Why most natural wine is vegan by default
Natural and low-intervention winemakers have a different attitude to clarity: they don't really mind if a wine looks a bit hazy. A touch of cloud is part of the deal — it's a sign the wine hasn't been stripped down. So instead of fining with egg or fish, they either let the wine settle naturally over time, filter it lightly, or leave it alone. No animal products in, no animal products to declare.
That's why, when people ask us "is your wine vegan?", the honest answer for most of the wine collection is yes. Some of our growers go further and are certified organic and biodynamic, which adds another layer of "no weird stuff" to the bottle. We don't slap "vegan" on the front of every label because not every winemaker we work with has the certification — but in practice, the overwhelming majority of our range is vegan-friendly. If you need a specific bottle confirmed before you order, drop us an email and we'll check.
The best vegan wines on our shelf
Vegan red wine
Start with Doom Juice Rouge — an organic, wild-ferment Shiraz-Grenache from South Australia, made by ex-hospitality lot who'd rather pull a pint than write a tasting note. Cult label, vegan, drinks like a dream. Mon P'tit Pithon Rouge is an organic-biodynamic Roussillon red, and Carambouille 2024 is a six-grape Rhône blend that turns up to dinner parties and behaves itself. For something a bit cheaper and chillable, Left on Red from Loco Wines is the move — straight from the fridge, juicy, vegan. Browse the wider red wine shelf for more.
Vegan white wine
For something obscure and brilliant, Jumi-Juma is a Chardonnay-Riesling from Moldova, with a London-artist label and a fanbase you didn't know existed. Rizzling is an organic, biodynamic Austrian Riesling — the playful name is a clue to the energy. Our restaurant-quality house white, Guy Allion Sauvignon Blanc, comes through Emile Wines and is direct-imported from the Loire. Full white wine collection here.
Vegan orange wine and skin-contact
If you've not tried orange wine yet, the vegan answer is yes — orange wines are essentially white wines made with extended skin contact, and the natural producers who make them tend to skip animal fining as standard. Balido is a Uruguayan Trebbiano-Petit Manseng skin-contact bottle that nobody else in Bristol stocks. Worth the trip.
Vegan sparkling and pét-nat
Pét-nat — the slightly fizzy, slightly cloudy, slightly chaotic style — is almost always vegan because the cloudiness is the point. Top Cuvée's Good Day Pet Nat is grown in Sussex and looks fantastic on a table. PROST! from Loco is the same energy in a slightly lighter package, and the canned Session Fizz is the picnic version. Full sparkling wine shelf for more bubbles.
Vegan-friendly cocktails and low-no options
Wine isn't the only thing on our shelf, and the same logic applies — independent makers tend to keep ingredient lists short and animal-product-free. Our pre-mixed cocktails from Black Lines are made by a Soho-House-trained cocktail nerd in Tottenham, and the Aperitivo Spritz is gluten-free and dairy-free as standard. The Negroni and Paloma are bar-quality bottle serves with no shortcuts. If you're not drinking, the alcohol-free Shirley Temple over in the low and no-alcohol shelf is a proper one.
Vegan snacks to drink them with
Building a vegan wine-and-snack situation is easy at Natty because the Serious Pig range is — despite the name — entirely vegan and gluten-free. Pick up Pickle Crisps for the punchy vinegar hit, Sausage Crisps for the controversial-but-correct vegan-tastes-of-sausage trick, Giant Corn Scratchings for something crunchy with sage and white pepper, or Snacking Pickles if you want pub-grade gherkins in a pouch. Browse the wider crisps shelf or full deli for more.
Vegan wine delivery — Bristol and UK
Order any of our wines and we'll deliver them next-day across BS1 to BS16 — Bedminster, Southville, Clifton, Redland, Bishopston, the lot. £3.50 flat, free over £40. We hand-deliver in Bristol — no van full of bouncing bottles. Outside Bristol, we ship UK-wide by 2-day courier with 10% off six bottles, which is a tidy way to fill a wine rack with vegan natural wine without supermarket trips. Full info on the shipping page, or come and grab it in person from Willway Yard, Bedminster Fridays and Saturdays.
Quick answers
Is all wine vegan?
No. Most conventional wine is fined with egg white, gelatine, casein or isinglass (fish bladder), which means it isn't vegan. None of it ends up in the bottle, but it's used in production. Natural wines — including most of ours — skip animal fining and are vegan by default.
How can I tell if a wine is vegan in the UK?
Look for the Vegan Society trademark, the wording "suitable for vegans" or "unfined and unfiltered" on the back label. UK rules don't require wineries to declare fining agents, so a lack of label doesn't always mean it isn't vegan — but if you want certainty, stick to natural and low-intervention bottles, or just ask your bottle shop.
Is natural wine always vegan?
Almost always, yes. Natural winemakers tend to skip animal-based fining because they're after a less-processed wine to begin with. There are rare exceptions, so if you want a specific bottle confirmed, get in touch and we'll tell you straight.
Where can I buy vegan wine in Bristol?
Right here. Natty is a Bedminster bottle shop and most of our wine is vegan natural wine. Next-day Bristol delivery, free over £40. The full wine collection is online.
Are vegan wines more expensive?
Not at Natty. Most of our range sits between £13 and £26, including the natural and biodynamic bottles. Try Doom Juice Rouge, Dóldora or Left on Red for proof.
