Recently, the Colchester winery Priam Vineyards was certified as vegan-friendly by the BevVeg! label, which provides certification for vegan beverages, food, and other consumer products.
This might come as a bit of a surprise, but not all wines are created vegan. You would think so, considering that wine is traditionally made from grapes. However, many wine producers actually use animal-derived substances to help filter their wines in the fining process. These animal-derived substances include casein, gelatin, egg albumen, and bone marrow.
However, Ruaan Viljoen, winemaker for Priam Vineyards, avoids using any animal products or substances in the process of making wine, instead opting for vegan materials such as pea protein, mannoprotein, bentonite, or even using cold stabilization techniques.
Priam’s wines are very popular and second to none. In fact, Priam’s wines have earned multiple international awards, including several gold, double gold, and silver medals in the 2019 International Eastern Wine Competition. Its most popular wine is its riesling, which is a perfect blend of sweet and tart.
In Connecticut, Priam Vineyards is the first winery to receive vegan certification and distinction.
