I'll Have The Red, Minus the Cow Please

I thought I'd share some research I did today. Earlier today some of us were talking about wine, and how my mother had thought she was allergic to red wine. Turns out, its not the type of wine itself at fault. My mother is allergic to all things cow - and it being a fairly severe allergy, we have all learnt over the years just how many food and drink products contains part of this animal, or other animal additives. She just recently discovered that her problem with red wine was the cow products used to process the wine. Most red wines are fined using gelatin obtained from cow bones. Knowing this, it is still fairly difficult to find allergy safe red wines, or more accurately get help from shop staff in finding the wines at the store. 

If you are vegan or vegetarian, or just like to be conscious of the additives and production methods of your wine, I have found a great website.

BARNIVORE (http://www.barnivore.com/wine#) has a long list of wines, all noted as being either vegan friendly or not vegan friendly, a long with a short description of the processing method. They have done their research well and have created a wonderful resource.

I double checked this site with the Manitoba LC, and found the below Canadian Reds are most likely vegan and should be available at local Manitoba Liquor Marts;

- Cave Spring Pinot Noir VQA, Niagara, Canada  750 ml $20.99

- Inniskillin East West er Mer/Cab, Niagara on the Lake, Canada 750 ml $17.99*

- Inniskillin Merlot VQA, Niagara, Canada 750 ml $16.95*

- Inniskillin Var ser Pino VQA, Niagara Peninsula, Canada 750 ml $14.99*

*All Inniskillin Reds are vegan however not their whites or icewine

- Meyer Pinot Noir VQA, Okanagan, Canada 750 ml $32.99

- Quails' Gate Merlot VQA, Okanagan, Canada 750 ml $22.99

- Quails' Gate Pinot Noir, Okanagan, Canada750 ml $22.99

- Southbrook Cab/Mer/Shz VQA, Niagara, Canada 750 ml $14.90* 

*Southbrook's 2008 Vintage Vegan, and all other reds should be cow free. From Southbrook " We will sometimes use egg whites to fine our red wines like the 2007's, but no gelatin or isinglass is used so for the most part our wines are vegan."

- Strewn Rogue's Cafr/Casa VQA, Niagara, Canada 750 ml $16.01

- Strewn Three VQA, Niagara, Canada 750 ml $34.21

Also, a wine from California which uses no additives at all, I believe it is certified organic and has gotten a good rap. I haven't tried it yet myself but hopefully will soon; 

- Pink Truck Red Truck wines, California, US  750 ml $16.04

Enjoy and Salud!


*Photos by ralphunden (top) and LexnGer (right)