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Why Do We Make Vegan Wine at Fox & Fox?

We make our wines to exacting vegan standards because those standards fit with our ethos of purity and our spirit of generosity and celebration.

No one should feel they can’t enjoy a glass of our fizz because of their own commitment to living a vegan life. Everyone should feel confident when pouring or drinking our wines whether it’s for themselves or their family and guests.

For us, making vegan wines is about respect and sharing. It’s also about honouring our environment and the creatures that inhabit it, which is why we also grow and produce all of our vegan wines mindfully right here in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in the heart of  East Sussex, UK.

Which Fox & Fox Wines Are Vegan-Friendly?

All of our wines are 100% suitable for vegans, each wine is registered with The Vegan Society so that you can be 100% comfortable that they meet your ethical standards.

Isn’t All Wine Vegan or Vegetarian?

Since grapes and yeast are the main ingredients used in winemaking, many people are surprised to learn that wines aren’t always vegan, or even vegetarian for that matter. Even though the wine itself may not list any animal-based ingredients, many winemakers use animal products during the production process.

Here are a just a few reasons why wine isn’t always vegan or vegetarian:

Farming Methods

Although we may sometimes wish it does, vegan wine does not magically appear in a bottle.

The winemaking process starts in the vineyard and farming methods can involve the use of synthetic pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Even UK organic farmers use bone meal, blood meal, feather meal, and liquified fish to fertilize the soil.

Farming methods don’t have to be disclosed, which can make it difficult to determine whether or not wine is vegan.

At Fox & Fox we use natural fertilizers, either plant-based compost or lime rich soil additions like chalk or limestone.  We work hard to grow the healthiest vines we can, we focus on plant nutrition with foliar-feeds derived from seaweed to keep the vines in top form.

Fining Agents

After the grapes are crushed and left to ferment, a number of byproducts are produced, such as dead yeast cells, grape skin, pulp, and stalks.

To remove these insoluble materials from the wine, many winemakers will clarify it using fining agents. These agents are introduced into the wine and act as coagulants, attracting the unwanted byproducts and making it easier to filter.

Many of the traditional fining agents are not vegan:

Therefore, just because a bottle of wine does not list any non-vegan ingredients on its label does not mean that it is truly suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

At Fox & Fox we let time do the work, we don’t fine or filter our wines.  We make sure we use Vegan certified sugar in those years when we need to help the first fermentation along and for supporting the second fermentation in the bottle which adds those all important bubbles.  Taking time adds to the costs but we believe that it’s worthwhile to take extra time and care with the wine-making. We think the results speak for themselves.

 

How is Vegan Wine Made?

In order for wine to be classified as suitable for vegans, winemakers must ensure that the farming methods used are vegan-friendly.

 

How Do I Know if Wine is Vegan?

It can be quite challenging to find vegan wine in the UK and even more so internationally.

As we mentioned earlier, winemakers do not have to disclose the ingredients they used during the winemaking process, nor the farming methods with which they grew the grapes.

Nevertheless, there are a few ways to find out if a wine or other drink is vegan:

1. Contact the Winemaker

You can use the Chat-bot on this website to talk directly to Jonica Fox  so if you have a question we haven’t answered here, feel free to say hello and ask her directly.If you are looking at a wine with no direct access then try Social Media or their website “contact us” to ask your questions.

2. Check for Vegan Certification

A sure-fire way to ensure that you are buying vegan wine is to check a company’s certification.

At Fox & Fox we make it easy: we’re proud to have the Vegan Society Logo on the back label of every wine we produce. 

Looking out for certifications, such as The Vegan Trademark, allows you to identify that a product is compliant with third party standards and clearly demonstrates that a vegan wine brand aligns with your values.

3, Search Barnivore

Barnivore is the world’s biggest vegan alcohol database, which relies upon its readers to update it whenever possible. They also list the contact details of winemakers, breweries, and distilleries, so that you can easily call up the manufacturers and producers if you are unsure.

Our Fox & Fox Vegan Wine Collection is listed on Barnivore

Did you know that all of our Fox & Fox wines are registered with the Vegan Society? 

Our vegan wines are also grown and produced by us, right here in the UK! So you can be 100% comfortable that they meet your ethical standards.

 

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