Is Champagne Vegan? (Surprising Answer)

by Philip Thompson
04 January, 2023

Is there anything better than the crisp, bubbly taste of Champagne on a hot summers day? Probably not!

So if you're vegan you'll be pleased to hear that vegan Champagne is available from most major retailers.

With that being said, it's important to know what you're looking for as there is also Champagne which is not suitable for vegans due to animal products used in the fining process.

Listen to this post here:

Is Champagne Vegan?

Yes, the majority of Champagne's are vegan friendly, however some are not so you should check the label of each bottle to confirm if its vegan or not.

The answer to whether or not Champagne is vegan is a little tricky because it all depends on the way the Champagne is made and the ingredients that are used.

There are Champagne's available that are vegan friendly, however some are not vegan friendly so caution needs to be taken if you're a vegan prosecco drinker!

The good news for vegans is that there are vegan friendly Champagne's out there along with other vegan friendly wines.

It all comes down to the fining process used to produce the Champagne, if the fining process uses animal based ingredients the prosecco won't be suitable for vegans.

But don't worry if you're vegan...there are vegan Champagne's out there.

The Fining Process Used To Make Champagne

The fining process involves the use of agents to remove excess yeast and sediments from the wine. This process is frequently used in the production of Champagne to make the wine clear and particle free.

Champagne Fining Process Ingredient - Eggs

Some fining agents used in the Champagne manufacturing process are often derived from non-vegan animal based ingredients such as:

Milk protein (casein)
Fish oil
Egg albumen (derived from egg whites)
Gelatin
Isinglass (fish bladder membrane)
Animal blood / bone marrow

However it is possible to produce vegan friendly Champagne using a vegan based fining process which uses bentonite clay or activated charcoal which are both perfect vegan alternatives to animal derived fining agents.

Here are some of the vegan friendly ingredients used to create vegan safe Champagne:

Silica gel
Silica clay
Pea gelatine
Kaolin (clay mineral)
Activated charcoal
Kieselguhr (sedimentary rock)

It is possible that certain eggs and casein are suitable for vegetarians, but this information may be unclear on the wine bottle label so it's wise to choose a vegan certified product.

Vegan Friendly Fining Ingredients Used to Make Vegan Champagne

Are Champagne Ingredients Vegan Friendly (And Things To Watch Out For)

All Champagne is produced in the French region...Champagne...but you knew that already! In Champagne there are specific grapes grown and used to produce the world renowned celebratory drink.

Importantly, if the drink isn't produced in Champagne it's called sparkling wine instead.

On the whole, Champagne is produced using a combination of the following grapes:

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
Pinot Gris
Pinot Blanc
Arbanne
Petit Meslier

The grape blends used to produce Champagne are vegan friendly.

However the fining process, and whether animal based ingredients are used as part of the fining process, is ultimately the key factor in determining whether or not a Champagne is vegan friendly.

How Do You Know If A Champagne Is Vegan And Where To Buy It?

When you're shopping in your local store for vegan Champagne look on the bottle label for a vegan friendly symbol - you can find a few examples in the image below.

This is the best place to look to guarantee the brand and bottle is a vegan safe Champagne.

Only bottles with a vegan society logo (or something similar with appropriate vegan credentials) on the bottle have been produced using vegan friendly ingredients and manufacturing processes.

You can also check any Champagne brands website for further information on their vegan friendly credentials.

Major retailers and supermarkets usually offer a range of vegan alcohol but if you're looking for a specific variety you may be best shopping online or visiting a wine specialist.

Other good source of information on vegan Champagne are fellow vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians.

There's also useful on social media, with many people keen to share their information with fellow vegans.

Can You Taste The Difference Between Vegan and Non-Vegan Champagne?

There is very little or no difference in the taste of vegan Champagne.

It's only usually the fining process that uses animal products which means that the finished bottle of Champagne tastes no different (or at worst very negligibly) different to a vegan Champagne.

Depending on the fining process the agents used will get filtered away later in production or evaporate so only a tiny fraction of the agent used (animal or non-animal based) will remain - and this is why this information isn't always listed on the bottle by vineyards.

That being said, it may be possible to notice a marginal taste and texture difference drinking unfiltered Champagne. This is because unfiltered Champagne doesn't get filtered via a fining process, this can result in a slightly different taste, texture and cloudier appearance.

So a glass of vegan Champagne will taste delightfully bubbly and fresh even if vegan-friendly options like bentonite clay or activated charcoal are used as alternatives in the fining process.

Related:

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed our article about vegan Champagne.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk

You can browse more posts on Wine Facts here.