I have been waiting for the opening of Pho in the newly refurbished Corn Exchange, Manchester for ages and will be visiting next week, so have been checking out their wine selection. They do not label wines as vegan, so I did some research and the following wines are suitable and although not a big choice, anything is better than nothing.
Whites
Cotes de Gascogne, Cuvee Jean Paul, France
Chenin Viognier, Percheron, West Cape, South Africa
Red
Grenache Syrah, Mas de Vigneron, Rhone Valley, France
Vegan Wines At Pizza Expres
I emailed Pizza Express to ask which wines were vegan and would they consider improving the labelling on their menus. I am surprised Pizza Express have not taken this step already, when they have a vegan pizza on the menu and are very much into catering for their customers needs, being Coeliac UK accredited for their gluten-free options.
I had a very nice email back from Lucy in their Customer Experience Team who said:
All wines sold at Pizza Express restaurants are suitable for vegans and vegetarians with the exception of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigio Blush, Pinot Grigio Blush Frizzante, Moscato and Bollinger Champagne. The Valpolicella Ripasso is suitable for vegetarians but not vegans. In regards to labelling which wines are vegan and vegetarian on the menu, please be assured that I will pass on your feedback to our internal menu and food teams.
This leaves a good choice for us vegans, as you can see below:
White Wines
Trebbiano, Marche, Italy
Gavi, Piemonte, Italy
Prosecco, Veneto, Italy
Grillo Chardonnay, Sicily
Rose Wine
Merlot Rose, Veneto, Italy
Red Wines
Chianti Riserva D.O.C.G, Tuscany, Italy
I had a very nice email back from Lucy in their Customer Experience Team who said:
All wines sold at Pizza Express restaurants are suitable for vegans and vegetarians with the exception of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Grigio Blush, Pinot Grigio Blush Frizzante, Moscato and Bollinger Champagne. The Valpolicella Ripasso is suitable for vegetarians but not vegans. In regards to labelling which wines are vegan and vegetarian on the menu, please be assured that I will pass on your feedback to our internal menu and food teams.
This leaves a good choice for us vegans, as you can see below:
White Wines
Trebbiano, Marche, Italy
Gavi, Piemonte, Italy
Prosecco, Veneto, Italy
Grillo Chardonnay, Sicily
Rose Wine
Merlot Rose, Veneto, Italy
Red Wines
Chianti Riserva D.O.C.G, Tuscany, Italy
Nero d'Avola, Syrah, Sicily
Merlot, Sicily
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo D.O.C, Abruzzo, Italy
Barbera d'Alba, D.O.C, Piemonte, Italy
I look forward to the day, I walk into a Pizza Express and can choose a wine labelled as vegan on the menu, but in the meantime I have stored this list to the old memory bank!
Naturtint Reflex Semi Permanent Hair Colour
I do not have my hair coloured by my hairdresser, I have so few grey hairs (even at 54) she told me its not worth having anything done, but comments how shiny my hair is and its healthy condition, which I attribute to a very nutritious vegan diet.
Sometimes though when those few greys hairs bug me, which is rare, I use a semi permanent colour and Naturtint Reflex is my choice. Reflex contains no nasties, is easy to apply, gradually washes out and is vegan, with the added bonus of a tube lasting me four applications so economical.
The kit comes with plastic gloves, Naturtint shampoo and Nutrideep conditioner, which I do not use, preferring my John Masters Zinc and Sage shampoo with conditioner, but my husband uses them!.
Prior to first use, I did the recommended skin patch test for allergic reactions, which I doubt affects many people as Reflex has no PPD, peroxide, ammonia, resorcinol or parabens, the main culprits to cause problems.
My hair is pretty much the colour on the packaging, so dark chestnut brown is perfect and blends the grey hairs really well with my natural hair colour. After use my hair always looks like it has a deep conditioning treatment so I think Reflex is an excellent product.
Sometimes though when those few greys hairs bug me, which is rare, I use a semi permanent colour and Naturtint Reflex is my choice. Reflex contains no nasties, is easy to apply, gradually washes out and is vegan, with the added bonus of a tube lasting me four applications so economical.
The kit comes with plastic gloves, Naturtint shampoo and Nutrideep conditioner, which I do not use, preferring my John Masters Zinc and Sage shampoo with conditioner, but my husband uses them!.
Prior to first use, I did the recommended skin patch test for allergic reactions, which I doubt affects many people as Reflex has no PPD, peroxide, ammonia, resorcinol or parabens, the main culprits to cause problems.
My hair is pretty much the colour on the packaging, so dark chestnut brown is perfect and blends the grey hairs really well with my natural hair colour. After use my hair always looks like it has a deep conditioning treatment so I think Reflex is an excellent product.
Superdrug Solait 50SPF Transparent Sun Spray
I love Superdrug and their commitment to no animal testing and their ever growing range of vegan products, so its quickly becoming a one stop shop for me.
I have tried various sun protection products, but I love this one the best, beginning with the packaging, makes me think of holidays.
It smells wonderful when applied is non greasy, water resistant and has a 5 star UVA rating as well as UVB so your skin is fully protected on all fronts and leaves no white marks. There has been much in the press recently about UVA protection, so this product gets top rating.
And as you can see from the label, its is clearly marked suitable for vegans, makes shopping so much easier.
I have tried various sun protection products, but I love this one the best, beginning with the packaging, makes me think of holidays.
It smells wonderful when applied is non greasy, water resistant and has a 5 star UVA rating as well as UVB so your skin is fully protected on all fronts and leaves no white marks. There has been much in the press recently about UVA protection, so this product gets top rating.
And as you can see from the label, its is clearly marked suitable for vegans, makes shopping so much easier.
P And O Cruises
I have cruised with P&O for years and their wine lists have come on leaps and bounds. They label wines clarified with vegetarian substances, with those by the glass totalling seven. However they could easily go one step further, as to vegan suitability, but they are in good company, the majority of restaurants don't either.
I decided as an experiment, to check the vegan credentials of their wines by the glass, which totals twenty and I expected probably three or four to be vegan. It was quite a job, involving emailing the winery, vineyard or UK distributor, with some like Boutinot way ahead of everyone else, specifying vegan suitability on their website.
I was surprised that out of twenty wines, twelve are vegan friendly (come on P&O where did seven vegetarian wines come from?)
I will have even more wine choices when I next cruise and hope that P&O will improve their labelling, because if I can find out, sure they can.
I decided as an experiment, to check the vegan credentials of their wines by the glass, which totals twenty and I expected probably three or four to be vegan. It was quite a job, involving emailing the winery, vineyard or UK distributor, with some like Boutinot way ahead of everyone else, specifying vegan suitability on their website.
I was surprised that out of twenty wines, twelve are vegan friendly (come on P&O where did seven vegetarian wines come from?)
I will have even more wine choices when I next cruise and hope that P&O will improve their labelling, because if I can find out, sure they can.
Vegan Mayonnaise
I have had to forego my favourite Plamil mayonnaise, due to severe allergic reactions, which I originally thought was due to the high proportion of sunflower oil or its soya content, but just discovered it also contains the stabiliser guar gum, which if you have read my allergy post, is a huge problem for me.
So how glad was I, when I found out you could make mayonnaise using aquafaba, so here is the recipe I used courtesy of Peanut Butter and Vegan.
Makes about 1 cup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp aquafaba
¾-1 cup of rapeseed oil
Blitz the vinegar, mustard, salt and aquafaba using a stick blender for a few seconds to thoroughly combine.
Whilst the blender is still running, slowly drizzle in the oil. The mixture will begin to thicken up and turn a lovely creamy colour and you will need to move the blender around to ensure its mixed properly. Once the mixture is so thick that it does not run off the blender, you can stop adding the oil, as the mayonnaise is ready.
Pour into a plastic container or jar and store in the fridge, where it will thicken up and is ready to use.
So how glad was I, when I found out you could make mayonnaise using aquafaba, so here is the recipe I used courtesy of Peanut Butter and Vegan.
Makes about 1 cup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp aquafaba
¾-1 cup of rapeseed oil
Blitz the vinegar, mustard, salt and aquafaba using a stick blender for a few seconds to thoroughly combine.
Whilst the blender is still running, slowly drizzle in the oil. The mixture will begin to thicken up and turn a lovely creamy colour and you will need to move the blender around to ensure its mixed properly. Once the mixture is so thick that it does not run off the blender, you can stop adding the oil, as the mayonnaise is ready.
Pour into a plastic container or jar and store in the fridge, where it will thicken up and is ready to use.
I made some coleslaw which is delicious.
Celery and Potato Soup
This is such a creamy soup and yet there is not a hit of cream in it, I serve it drizzled with chilli oil for a spicy kick! This makes 8-10 portions depending on how hungry you are and I freeze in small portions to use later.
2 heads of celery chopped
4 small onions chopped
6 medium potatoes chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1.5 litres of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
1 red chilli finely chopped
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 tbsp olive oil
Soya cream (optional)
Mix the chilli with the olive oil and leave for as long as possible to allow the oil the absorb the chilli flavours. You can strain the chillies and just serve the oil, but I love spice so I use all of it.
Saute the onion, potato and celery in the rapeseed oil for 15 mins, until soft and translucent, add the garlic and cook for a further 5 mins.
Add the stock to cover the vegetables and cook for 15 mins on a gentle heat. Check for seasoning and add to taste. At this stage you could add some beans like cannellini, haricot or butter beans, but I like it just as it is. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth
Then you can add a swirl of soya cream or drizzle with the chilli oil.
2 heads of celery chopped
4 small onions chopped
6 medium potatoes chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1.5 litres of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
1 red chilli finely chopped
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 tbsp olive oil
Soya cream (optional)
Mix the chilli with the olive oil and leave for as long as possible to allow the oil the absorb the chilli flavours. You can strain the chillies and just serve the oil, but I love spice so I use all of it.
Saute the onion, potato and celery in the rapeseed oil for 15 mins, until soft and translucent, add the garlic and cook for a further 5 mins.
Add the stock to cover the vegetables and cook for 15 mins on a gentle heat. Check for seasoning and add to taste. At this stage you could add some beans like cannellini, haricot or butter beans, but I like it just as it is. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth
Then you can add a swirl of soya cream or drizzle with the chilli oil.
John Masters Citrus And Neroli Detangler
I have been using John Masters Zinc & Sage Shampoo with Conditioner, which is a wonderful product and which I can tell my hair loves. However if on holiday, in hot sun, swimming in seawater or chlorine treated water in the swimming pool, I think my hair will need a boost with a separate conditioner.
I purchased a 60 ml sample of the Citrus & Neroli Detangler.
I love you can buy small product sizes, especially as these products are not cheap, so at least you can try before you buy. You only need a small amount of the detangler and either use as a leave in product or leave for 2-3 mins and wash out, which is what I did. It has a lovely citrus smell and really detangles your hair and when drying afterwards, it left my hair silky and soft. I still think that the Zinc & Sage Shampoo with Conditioner is perfect for day to day use, with the detangler ideal for taking on holiday. At £16.00 for 236 ml it is not the cheapest, but a little goes a long way, so I will be placing an order soon.
I purchased a 60 ml sample of the Citrus & Neroli Detangler.
I love you can buy small product sizes, especially as these products are not cheap, so at least you can try before you buy. You only need a small amount of the detangler and either use as a leave in product or leave for 2-3 mins and wash out, which is what I did. It has a lovely citrus smell and really detangles your hair and when drying afterwards, it left my hair silky and soft. I still think that the Zinc & Sage Shampoo with Conditioner is perfect for day to day use, with the detangler ideal for taking on holiday. At £16.00 for 236 ml it is not the cheapest, but a little goes a long way, so I will be placing an order soon.
Dr Loosen
I am a big fan of Riesling wines, although I know the impression is they are sweet and low in alcohol but this is not always the case and I love them. Dr Loosen have been making top quality wines in the Mosel valley for many years, but I never tried them, being unsure of their vegan friendly status, so sent off an email to find out.
I received a very nice email back from Kirk Wille VP (I presume Vice President) with the following message:
We do not use any animal products in the production of Dr. Loosen Riesling. There is only a light filtration with diatomaceous earth before the bottling. Our Rieslings are definitely suitable for vegans. I hope you enjoy them!
You cannot say fairer than that and I will be looking out for Dr Loosen on wine lists in the future, but really enjoyed the 2012 vintage of Dr L Riesling recently, a lovely light and refreshing wine.
I received a very nice email back from Kirk Wille VP (I presume Vice President) with the following message:
We do not use any animal products in the production of Dr. Loosen Riesling. There is only a light filtration with diatomaceous earth before the bottling. Our Rieslings are definitely suitable for vegans. I hope you enjoy them!
You cannot say fairer than that and I will be looking out for Dr Loosen on wine lists in the future, but really enjoyed the 2012 vintage of Dr L Riesling recently, a lovely light and refreshing wine.
Emiliana Organic Vineyard
I love Emiliana wines and their commitment to produce organic, sometimes bio-dynamic wines and the fact all their wines are vegan and available in most supermarkets, so easily accessible. Their website is well presented, with technical notes for their wines, more so recently even down to the finer details of production methods, which is sadly lacking on many sites. They are in the process of updating their website, so maybe more information will be available soon.
I have so far tried the Novas Cabernet Sauvignon which is neither fined nor stabilized; it is just lightly filtered with a 1-micron cartridge filter prior to bottling, it begs the question why are isinglass, milk casein or egg used, if it can be done naturally, I can only think it is down to cost. This is a powerful wine at 14% so for me its wine to drink with food, but it is delicious.
Another Emiliana wine in my wine rack, yet to be drunk is Adobe Gewurtztraminer another powerful wine at 13.8% but will be great with spicy food like Indian or Thai, so cannot wait to try this one.
The Emiliana range is far larger than I imagined, so it is going to be fun sampling them all and so I will update this post as and when.
I have so far tried the Novas Cabernet Sauvignon which is neither fined nor stabilized; it is just lightly filtered with a 1-micron cartridge filter prior to bottling, it begs the question why are isinglass, milk casein or egg used, if it can be done naturally, I can only think it is down to cost. This is a powerful wine at 14% so for me its wine to drink with food, but it is delicious.
Another Emiliana wine in my wine rack, yet to be drunk is Adobe Gewurtztraminer another powerful wine at 13.8% but will be great with spicy food like Indian or Thai, so cannot wait to try this one.
The Emiliana range is far larger than I imagined, so it is going to be fun sampling them all and so I will update this post as and when.
Fred Loimer
I had never tried Fred Loimer wines until recently, but had contacted them and received very nice responses from Michaela Schwarz and Mihailo Martinovic, confirming they only fine their wines with bentonite, which is of mineral origin. They work to ensure a minimum biological and environmental impact and the highest possible quality, not only for the wine but also for the way in which it has been produced.
Definitely one to look out for on wine lists in future.
Byrne Vineyards
I contacted Byrne Vineyards after browsing their website, as I noticed they have made a commitment to make vegan friendly wines:
From the 2014 vintages and onwards, the team have made the active decision to make as many wines Vegan and Vegetarian friendly.
These wine that we produce do not contain any animal ingredients (such as milk, eggs, honey, etc.) nor are animal products used in the processing/filtration of the product (such as isinglass, gelatin, etc). On the back labels you will start to see a small V symbol as a way of recognising this approach.
Of course some wine styles or vintage conditions require the use of inputs to assist with fermentation, fining or handling so there may be one variety on occasion which is not fully Vegan but still Vegetarian friendly. But we will be sure to clearly highlight that so you can be assured of our integrity for delivering a product which suits your needs.
I decided to email and ask a couple of questions and had such a lovely response back from Wendy Birkett their Export Manager. She confirmed they did not use eggs, milk or fish products. She went onto to say that all Byrne Vineyards wines from 2014 onwards will be vegan friendly, unless there is a wine making requirement for it to be otherwise, but this would be a total exception. They will use the V symbol when vegan (which assumes vegetarian) and provide tasting notes on their website for their wines including Devlin's Mount, Byrne, Thomson Estate, Scotts Creek and Woolpunda ranges.
She finished by telling me that if I was planning a trip to Australia from next year, they are building tented eco-suites beside their estate vineyards and wetland, two hours north of Adelaide in South Australia and accommodation bookings would be available for small groups under six people.
I may well be tempted, I love companies like Byrne, they have nothing to hide, are proud of their environmental and sustainability credentials and even better their wines are vegan and easily spotted by good labelling.
These wine that we produce do not contain any animal ingredients (such as milk, eggs, honey, etc.) nor are animal products used in the processing/filtration of the product (such as isinglass, gelatin, etc). On the back labels you will start to see a small V symbol as a way of recognising this approach.
Of course some wine styles or vintage conditions require the use of inputs to assist with fermentation, fining or handling so there may be one variety on occasion which is not fully Vegan but still Vegetarian friendly. But we will be sure to clearly highlight that so you can be assured of our integrity for delivering a product which suits your needs.
I decided to email and ask a couple of questions and had such a lovely response back from Wendy Birkett their Export Manager. She confirmed they did not use eggs, milk or fish products. She went onto to say that all Byrne Vineyards wines from 2014 onwards will be vegan friendly, unless there is a wine making requirement for it to be otherwise, but this would be a total exception. They will use the V symbol when vegan (which assumes vegetarian) and provide tasting notes on their website for their wines including Devlin's Mount, Byrne, Thomson Estate, Scotts Creek and Woolpunda ranges.
She finished by telling me that if I was planning a trip to Australia from next year, they are building tented eco-suites beside their estate vineyards and wetland, two hours north of Adelaide in South Australia and accommodation bookings would be available for small groups under six people.
I may well be tempted, I love companies like Byrne, they have nothing to hide, are proud of their environmental and sustainability credentials and even better their wines are vegan and easily spotted by good labelling.
Refried Beans Olive Style
I used to make this recipe with either kidney, pinto or black beans, but a recent allergy test revealed I was reacting to all of them. So I decided to use cannellini, one bean I can still enjoy and in this dish, they tasted great.
400 g cannellini beans
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 garlic clove crushed
½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 onions chopped
150 ml tomato sauce (I make my own)
Salt and pepper
Saute the onions in the oil until well cooked and slightly browning, add the paprika, cayenne and garlic and cook gently for a good 5 mins to release the spices aromas, without burning them or the garlic.
Add the tomato sauce and cook gently for 1-2 mins, add the beans and stir well to heat the beans through, then gently mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon.
Season to taste and serve with corn tacos or tortillas and your choice of accompaniments.
400 g cannellini beans
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 garlic clove crushed
½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 onions chopped
150 ml tomato sauce (I make my own)
Salt and pepper
Saute the onions in the oil until well cooked and slightly browning, add the paprika, cayenne and garlic and cook gently for a good 5 mins to release the spices aromas, without burning them or the garlic.
Add the tomato sauce and cook gently for 1-2 mins, add the beans and stir well to heat the beans through, then gently mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon.
Season to taste and serve with corn tacos or tortillas and your choice of accompaniments.
John Masters Zinc And Sage Shampoo with Conditioner
Giovanni have been my hair care products of choice for years, but they say "a change is as good as as rest" and with allergic reactions to the ingredient guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, which is present in many Giovanni products, I decided to investigate alternatives. This led me to John Masters Organics whose range of hair care products are nearly all vegan and cruelty free displaying the Peta logo.
I have always avoided 2-1 products, would it conditioner my hair and clean as well as separate shampoo and conditioner, only one way to find out.
The product itself smells good enough to eat, in fact would be great drizzled over ice-cream, it smells of vanilla fudge or caramel, a good first impression. I gave my hair a good comb through before applying a small amount and washed my hair as normal, it does not produce much lather and although it did not detangle my hair as well as a conditioner would, I just had to be more careful when giving it a final comb through.
You know your own hair and I could tell straightaway it loved this product and the results after blow drying were fantastic. My hair is always full of static, the slightest hint of humidity and its all over the place, no matter how well you blowdry it straight or what styling product you use. After using this 2-1 product however, even my husband noticed how sleek and shiny it looked and that it is saying something! The only downside to this product is the price, which at £20 is pretty steep and more than I would normally pay, but it gives great results and will last a long time.
I may need a conditioner if spending time in the sun on holiday, so I am going to purchase a 60 ml travel size citrus and neroli detangler and will review once I have tested it.
The product itself smells good enough to eat, in fact would be great drizzled over ice-cream, it smells of vanilla fudge or caramel, a good first impression. I gave my hair a good comb through before applying a small amount and washed my hair as normal, it does not produce much lather and although it did not detangle my hair as well as a conditioner would, I just had to be more careful when giving it a final comb through.
You know your own hair and I could tell straightaway it loved this product and the results after blow drying were fantastic. My hair is always full of static, the slightest hint of humidity and its all over the place, no matter how well you blowdry it straight or what styling product you use. After using this 2-1 product however, even my husband noticed how sleek and shiny it looked and that it is saying something! The only downside to this product is the price, which at £20 is pretty steep and more than I would normally pay, but it gives great results and will last a long time.
I may need a conditioner if spending time in the sun on holiday, so I am going to purchase a 60 ml travel size citrus and neroli detangler and will review once I have tested it.
Spicy Peanut Stirfry
I have been making this recipe so long, I have no idea where it originated and it varies, dependent on what vegetables I have in the fridge, so here is tonight's version.
1 onion chopped
2 spring onions chopped
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp root ginger chopped
6-8 chestnut mushrooms chopped
3 small carrots chopped
3 heads of bok choi
80 g bag of kale
1 garlic clove crushed
100 g crunchy peanut butter
2-3 tbsp chilli sauce (or to taste I am a fire-eater)
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (or coconut aminos in my case being allergic to soya)
2 tsp sesame oil
To serve
2-3 red chillies chopped
Noodles
Serves 2-4 depending on how hungry you are
Fry the onion, spring onions, mushrooms, carrots and ginger in the rapeseed oil for 10-15 mins until the vegetables have softened.
In the meantime blend the peanut butter, chilli sauce, soy sauce or tamari with approx 220 ml of water with a stick blender. The sauce does look a little thin but it thickens when you heat it up. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions
Add the bok choi to the pan and cook for 5 mins until wilted, then add the kale and cook a further 1-2 mins.
Add the peanut sauce and sesame oil, cook for 2-3 mins to heat through and the sauce thickens up, at which stage you can add the chillies to the pan or serve them on the side.
Serve with the noodles and enjoy.
1 onion chopped
2 spring onions chopped
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp root ginger chopped
6-8 chestnut mushrooms chopped
3 small carrots chopped
3 heads of bok choi
80 g bag of kale
1 garlic clove crushed
100 g crunchy peanut butter
2-3 tbsp chilli sauce (or to taste I am a fire-eater)
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (or coconut aminos in my case being allergic to soya)
2 tsp sesame oil
To serve
2-3 red chillies chopped
Noodles
Serves 2-4 depending on how hungry you are
Fry the onion, spring onions, mushrooms, carrots and ginger in the rapeseed oil for 10-15 mins until the vegetables have softened.
In the meantime blend the peanut butter, chilli sauce, soy sauce or tamari with approx 220 ml of water with a stick blender. The sauce does look a little thin but it thickens when you heat it up. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions
Add the bok choi to the pan and cook for 5 mins until wilted, then add the kale and cook a further 1-2 mins.
Add the peanut sauce and sesame oil, cook for 2-3 mins to heat through and the sauce thickens up, at which stage you can add the chillies to the pan or serve them on the side.
Serve with the noodles and enjoy.
Vegan Wines - Miscellaneous
I have relied in the past, on Barnivore to confirm whether a wine is vegan or not, but I have decided to compile my own vegan wine list. It is quite a task finding out what finings are used, whether it be isinglass, eggs, bentonite clay or if the wines are left to clarify naturally.
I have written full reviews of some of the vineyards and wineries I have checked out and the rest I will list here.
The vibe I am getting is how proud wine makers are of their wine, production methods and their environmental and sustainability footprint, working hand in hand with nature and these are companies I like to support. I am finding it very rewarding though, in the sense that more wines are vegan than you would think and the more people ask about fining processes, hopefully the less animal products will be used.
Lawson Dry Hills Wines are based in Marlborough, New Zealand and many of their wines are fined using isinglass, eggs and milk casein. However they confirmed that their Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris are both unfined and therefore contain no animal products.
Prinz Von Hessen are based in Germany and again are wines I have never tried, so I emailed to ask if they were vegan friendly and received a lovely email from Andrea Demmer who said:
We do not use isinglass or eggs to fine our wines, I assume your question was about bentonite which we do use to fine our wines. Bentonite is not of vegetable origin but of mineral origin.
A German wine would not be my first choice, when perusing a wine list, I suppose you stick with what you know, which is actually rather boring so will look for their wines in future.
So another one to add to the long list of "to try wines"....happy days!
The Hugel family have wine growing ancestors dating back to 1639 and their wines are a big favourite so I am always drawn to them, on any wine list. I know they are vegan, but thought I would email anyway, to see what response I got and as I have found, wine makers are more than happy to answer any questions. I had a wonderful email from David Ling even though they were closed for their summer holidays:
We are pleased to confirm that Hugel wines are not fined with any animal products (egg, isinglass etc). If you are ever in the region, please let us know in advance, as it would be a pleasure to give you a cellar tour and tasting, so you can see for yourself what is behind the yellow label.
Hugel will continue to be one of my favourites and I hope to be sampling another bottle very very soon.
I have written full reviews of some of the vineyards and wineries I have checked out and the rest I will list here.
The vibe I am getting is how proud wine makers are of their wine, production methods and their environmental and sustainability footprint, working hand in hand with nature and these are companies I like to support. I am finding it very rewarding though, in the sense that more wines are vegan than you would think and the more people ask about fining processes, hopefully the less animal products will be used.
Two new wines to try are Sierra Grande and Les Oliviers both purchased from Booths and both vegan friendly.
Lawson Dry Hills
Lawson Dry Hills Wines are based in Marlborough, New Zealand and many of their wines are fined using isinglass, eggs and milk casein. However they confirmed that their Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris are both unfined and therefore contain no animal products.
Prinz Von Hessen
We do not use isinglass or eggs to fine our wines, I assume your question was about bentonite which we do use to fine our wines. Bentonite is not of vegetable origin but of mineral origin.
A German wine would not be my first choice, when perusing a wine list, I suppose you stick with what you know, which is actually rather boring so will look for their wines in future.
Domaine Gavoty
Domaine Gavoty is one of the oldest estates in Provence, run by the same family since 1806, which is extremely rare these days. Roselyne Gavoty was very helpful in her reply, to my email about their vegan credentials.
Of course we use substances (incoming) derived from vegetable or mineral, thank you for your interest in our wines
So another one to add to the long list of "to try wines"....happy days!
Domaine Ott
Domaine Ott is another old estate in Provence, dating back to 1896 who fully respect nature, without using chemicals or intensive techniques. Their wines are vegan friendly as confirmed by Christophe Bernard, as they use absorbant clay, known in the trade as bentonite. I have never seen their wines on any list that I recall, but I will certainly be looking out for them in future.
Hugel
The Hugel family have wine growing ancestors dating back to 1639 and their wines are a big favourite so I am always drawn to them, on any wine list. I know they are vegan, but thought I would email anyway, to see what response I got and as I have found, wine makers are more than happy to answer any questions. I had a wonderful email from David Ling even though they were closed for their summer holidays:
We are pleased to confirm that Hugel wines are not fined with any animal products (egg, isinglass etc). If you are ever in the region, please let us know in advance, as it would be a pleasure to give you a cellar tour and tasting, so you can see for yourself what is behind the yellow label.
Hugel will continue to be one of my favourites and I hope to be sampling another bottle very very soon.
Bele Casel
Bele Casel are a true family business, started over forty years ago, now headed up by son Luca Ferraro and they make fantastic Prosecco, which is my favourite.
I contacted Luca via Twitter, who confirmed that although they were not vegan or organic certified, their Prosecco is vegan and organic, purely by its production method. I have drunk a good number of bottles, as it is available at Booths and excellent value for money, in fact I prefer it to champagne. I love their commitment and desire to make fabulous wine and I look forward to drinking many more bottles in the future.
Vegan Hotpot
400 g can of chickpeas
2 medium onions chopped
2 large carrots chopped
6 chestnut mushrooms sliced
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
400 g can of chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove crushed
4 medium potatoes thinly sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Vegan margarine
Serves 2
Saute the onions, carrots and mushrooms in the oil for 10 mins, add the garlic, paprika and cayenne cooking for a further 5 mins, stirring to stop the spices and garlic burning. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 mins, then add the chickpeas plenty of salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 mins. Pour into an oven proof dish and layer the potatoes on the top, dotting small blobs of margarine in between each layer and cover the top of the dish with tinfoil.
Cook in the oven at 200°c for 45 mins, then remove the foil so the potatoes can begin to go crispy and brown.
Continue cooking until piping hot and the potatoes are cooked through. This makes two good sized portions, because I am a greedy vegan!
2 medium onions chopped
2 large carrots chopped
6 chestnut mushrooms sliced
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
400 g can of chopped tomatoes
1 garlic clove crushed
4 medium potatoes thinly sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
Vegan margarine
Serves 2
Saute the onions, carrots and mushrooms in the oil for 10 mins, add the garlic, paprika and cayenne cooking for a further 5 mins, stirring to stop the spices and garlic burning. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 mins, then add the chickpeas plenty of salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 mins. Pour into an oven proof dish and layer the potatoes on the top, dotting small blobs of margarine in between each layer and cover the top of the dish with tinfoil.
Cook in the oven at 200°c for 45 mins, then remove the foil so the potatoes can begin to go crispy and brown.
Continue cooking until piping hot and the potatoes are cooked through. This makes two good sized portions, because I am a greedy vegan!
Almond Feta Cheese
I was given this recipe by my Twitter friend @xbinkypatronusx but the original recipe is courtesy of Maple Spice
145 g ground almonds
60 ml lemon juice
4 fl oz water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp salt
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until well combined, it mixes easily with using ground almonds.
Line a small bowl with three layers of muslin and spoon the mixture into the muslin, gather the corners of the muslin together and shape into a ball and secure with an elastic band. Place the ball into a sieve and place over the bowl.
Leave for at least 12 hours or overnight to allow the liquid to drain, remove from the muslin and place on a greased baking tray smooth side up.
Bake in a preheated over at 180° for 35-40 mins until golden, slightly cracked on top, firm to the touch and leave to cool.
I marinated oregano leaves in olive oil for a few hours and drizzled over.
The almond feta has a lovely texture, can be spread on toast, bread or crackers and opens up the door for so many new vegan recipes for me to make.
NB: I made this recipe again a few days later, adding chopped fresh thyme to the mix, wow it was a good dish before, but with thyme sensational.
145 g ground almonds
60 ml lemon juice
4 fl oz water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp salt
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until well combined, it mixes easily with using ground almonds.
Line a small bowl with three layers of muslin and spoon the mixture into the muslin, gather the corners of the muslin together and shape into a ball and secure with an elastic band. Place the ball into a sieve and place over the bowl.
Leave for at least 12 hours or overnight to allow the liquid to drain, remove from the muslin and place on a greased baking tray smooth side up.
Bake in a preheated over at 180° for 35-40 mins until golden, slightly cracked on top, firm to the touch and leave to cool.
I marinated oregano leaves in olive oil for a few hours and drizzled over.
The almond feta has a lovely texture, can be spread on toast, bread or crackers and opens up the door for so many new vegan recipes for me to make.
NB: I made this recipe again a few days later, adding chopped fresh thyme to the mix, wow it was a good dish before, but with thyme sensational.
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