Best vegan wines

Most winemakers use substances called fining agents during production, but not all of these are suitable for vegans. We've found the best vegan wines available at your local supermarket.  

Whether you're in the mood for a rich red or a delicious white wine, our expert taste tests will help you pick the perfect option for your budget.

Why is wine not vegan?

Wines appear cloudy following fermentation because the proteins in them clump together. These are natural ingredients and not harmful, but brands prefer to sell a clear, pure wine. To deal with the haze, manufacturers use fining agents to help the proteins clump together and sink to the bottom of the wine, making the sediment easier to remove.

Some commonly used fining agents contain animal products, which means certain wines are a no-go for vegans. During the fining process, egg albumen (derived from egg whites) is sometimes used for red wine, while milk protein is used for white wine. Other animal-derived fining agents include bone marrow and fish oil.

If you're shopping for a vegan wine, you'll be looking out for a drink that's produced using animal-friendly fining agents. Below, we've rounded up some suitable red wines, white wines, champagnes and sparkling wines.

Discover which wine goes best with different foods.

The best vegan red wine

Only logged-in Which? members can view the results below. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the vegan red wine on test. To get instant access, join Which? now.

Aldi Toro Loco Reserva 2015

£5.50 for a 70cl bottle

Described by the supermarket as 'seriously good', Aldi's Toro Loco Reserva offers scents of ripe fruits, dried berries and toasty vanilla.

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Co-op Irresistible Organic Fairtrade Malbec 2017

£7.50 for a 75cl bottle

This red wine, produced in north west Argentina, is suitable for vegans. Co-op describes it as a full-bodied wine 'bursting with plum, cherry and jam aromas'.

Find out whether this red wine is worth a try. Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Iceland Rabo de Galo 2018

£5.95 for a 75cl bottle

This vegan red wine might catch your eye if you're looking to keep costs low. The Portuguese red is described as a 'balanced and elegant wine' that offers a 'long and fruity finish'.

But did this wine impress our expert tasting panel? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Lidl Winemaker's Selection Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

£6 for a 70cl bottle

Originating from Coonawarra in South Australia, this vegan wine will apparently treat you to 'ripe, bright blackcurrant fruit' that is 'generous and satisfying'.

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M&S Tapa Roja Old Vines Monastrell 2018

£7 for a 75cl bottle

This Spanish red might deserve a place on your shortlist if you're shopping for vegan-friendly wine. M&S claims it combines 'intense plum and blackberry' with a 'herbal twist'.

Find out where this M&S red wine ranks in our list. Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

More vegan red wines on test

• Morrisons The Best Côtes Catalanes (£6 for a 75cl bottle)
• Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Rioja Reserva (£9 for a 75cl bottle)
• Spar Rios De Los Andes Malbec Reserve 2017 (£7 for a 70cl bottle)
• Tesco Finest Montagne St Emilion 2018 (£9 for a 75cl bottle)
• Waitrose & Partners Romanian Pinot Noir (£6 for a 75cl bottle)

To see our full selection of red wines of test, head over to our best red wine for 2020 guide.

The best vegan white wine

Only logged-in Which? members can view the results below. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the vegan white wine on test. To get instant access, join Which? now.

Co-op Irresistible Gavi 2017

£8.50 for a 75cl bottle

Made by the Broglia family in the vineyards of northern Italy, Co-op's Irresistible Gavi 2017 is a safe option for vegans.

Should you add this refreshing white to your basket? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Morrisons The Best Grüner Veltliner 2017

£8.25 for a 75cl bottle

This Australian bottle of white wine from Morrisons brings together hints of white jasmine and grapefruit.

Can you expect a delicious, refreshing white wine for under £10? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Alvarinho 2017

£6.75 for a 75cl bottle

This Taste the Difference white wine from Sainsbury's is described on the supermarket's website as 'deliciously zingy' with a 'mouth-watering freshness'.

Did it manage to impress our expert tasting panel? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

To see our full selection of white wines of test, head over to our best white wine for 2020 guide.

Waitrose Earth, Vine and Sun Semillon 2018

£7 for a 75cl bottle

Waitrose is convinced that this vegan wine of South Africa offers a 'delicate and vibrant blend' of sauvignon blanc and semillon.

Find out if this wine is the perfect bottle for your next summer picnic. Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

The best vegan champagne

Only logged-in Which? members can view the results below. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the vegan champagne on test.

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Aldi Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut

£12.49 for a 75cl bottle

This budget-priced vegan champagne is labelled as a 'bestseller' over on the Aldi website. It's a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier that has been aged to 'enhance its complexity'.

But will this make for a bargain Best Buy champagne? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Co-op Les Pionniers Champagne Brut

£19 for a 75cl bottle

This bottle of Les Pionniers champagne could be yours for just under £20.

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GH Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne

£35 for a 75cl bottle

Sourced from more than 100 different crus, this bottle of champagne sits for 20 months in Maison Mumm cellars. It's described by its maker as 'fresh' and 'bold' with 'intense ripe fruits'.

Is this vegan-friendly champagne the best of the bunch? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Champagne

£23 for a 75cl bottle

Take a sip of this champagne and you'll pick up on hints of marzipan and butterscotch.

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Lanson Black Label Champagne Brut

£32 for a 75cl bottle

This vegan-friendly champagne serves up hints of toast and honey. It's one of the priciest champagnes in our list, so we put it in front of our taste test panel to see if it's worth the money.

Did our experts give this vegan-friendly champagne a thumbs-up? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

More vegan champagne on test

• Lidl Comte de Senneval Brut Champagne (£12.49 for a 75cl bottle)
• M&S Delacourt Brut Champagne (£25 for a 75cl bottle)
• Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne (£35 for a 75cl bottle)
• Morrisons The Best Premier Cru Champagne (£19 for a 75cl bottle)
• Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne (£22 for a 75cl bottle)
• Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Blanc de Noirs Champagne (£19 for a 75cl bottle)
• Spar Marquis Belrive Brut Reserve Champagne NV (£18 for a 75cl bottle)
• Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne (£35 for a 75cl bottle)
• Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne (£20 for a 75cl bottle)
• Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne (£40 for a 75cl bottle)
• Waitrose & Partners Brut Champagne (£20 for a 75cl bottle)

To see our full selection of the best champagne on test.

The best vegan sparkling wines

Only logged-in Which? members can view the results below. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the vegan sparkling wines on test. To get instant access, join Which? now.

Morrisons The Best Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco

£8 for 75cl

Here's an Italian sparkling wine to add to your 'maybe' list if you're shopping for vegan-friendly fizz. Morrisons says the drinks brings together flavours of 'vibrant green apple and pear'.

Were our experts thoroughly impressed by this sparkling wine? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Crémant de Loire

£11.50 for 75cl

This sparkling wine has made the journey from Loire Valley in central France. It's described as an 'elegant' sparkling wine with a 'zesty apple freshness'.

But how does this affordable sparkling wine compare with pricier rivals? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Spar Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco

£10 for 75cl

This prosecco is exclusive to Spar and comes from the Veneto region of Italy. The supermarket is convinced it's a 'premium bottle' that manages to compete with the best sparkling wines on the market.

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Tesco Finest Prosecco Brut

£7 for 75cl

This light and simple prosecco treats you to fruity, floral notes. It's the cheapest vegan-friendly prosecco on test, making it a good pick if you're shopping for a party and trying to keep costs low.

What sort of quality can you expect from a sub-£10 prosecco? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

Waitrose & Partners Sparkling Pecorino NV

£9 for 75cl

This Italian sparkling wine brings together hints of citrus blossom and freshly squeezed lemon with fine bubbles.

Did this drink wow our tasting panel, or can you do better for a similar price? Log in or join Which? to unlock our test results.

How we test vegan wine

When deciding on which red wines to test, we asked a selection of supermarkets to suggest drinks suitable for both summer and winter. These recommendations had to be own-label or exclusive to the supermarket. Our white wines were nominated by supermarkets that deemed them suitable for summer drinking. Again, these had to be own-label or exclusive.

Each bottle was disguised before being placed in front of our panel. Once each member of the panel had sampled all of the drinks, ratings (including Which? Best Buy titles) were discussed as a group.

Our experts tasted eight supermarket own-label and exclusive non-vintage (NV) champagnes, as well as seven top-selling big-name champagnes. Not all of them were vegan-friendly, however.

To score the best sparkling wines, we disguised the bottles before they were chilled. Each expert tried the wines in a different order.

For all types of drink, our experts were looking for character, depth, and complexity.

Our experts were:

• Charles Metcalfe wine taster and co-chair of the International Wine Challenge (IWC)
• Kathryn McWhirter wine taster, author and translator
• Peter McCombie Master of Wine, speaker, consultant, co-chairman of the IWC
• Richard Bampfield Master of Wine, European Champagne Ambassador 2009
• Sam Caporn Master of wine, wine consultant, speaker, writer and IWC judge
• Helen McGinn International wine judge and award-winning author
• Peter Richards Master of Wine, writer, presenter and broadcaster

Prices correct as of March 2020.