Cupcake Wines Malbec is Not Vegan Friendly

Company email (March 2021)

"It is The Wine Group Inc. understanding that our Cupcake products are considered vegan-friendly. As an organization we strive to use processing aids which are vegan-friendly. Processing aids are removed from the wine through filtration." [Note: given their repeated interpretation of veganism as "as long as we filter it out" below, we're reading this one as "yeah, we still put animal products in the wine, though apparently we strive not to"]

Company email (March and again in April 2016):
"Fining agents containing gelatin derived from pork and fermentation aids containing casein from milk may be used in the production of Cupcake wines. In general, these agents are insoluble in wine and are removed during subsequent clarification and filtration. It is our understanding that if any animal product has been in contact with the wine, we cannot claim it to be vegan."

Note from Andria (May 2013):
"I was just on and noticed that you are researching Cupcake wines. Although I am not vegan, I have a severe allergy to the milk protein casein. Just in case you didn't know, casein is absolutely still left in the final wine product even though the makers say that it isn't. I have tested several (not knowing) and have paid the price..."

[Editor's note (March 2013): Barnivore is in the process of the verifying the true veganness of Cupcake Wines. Stay tuned.]

Company email (October 2012):
"yes our wines are vegan."

Company email, December 2011:
"The fining agents we use in Cupcake wines are all removed by a series of racks, centrifugations and filtrations."

Company email (May 2011):
"Our products do not contain any animal products at bottling. Some commercially produced base wines are treated with milk fining or gelatin in rare instances during processing, however to the best of our knowledge none of these products remain in the wine after processing."

Company email (when asked about specific animal byproducts that could be used): May 2010
"Our products do not contain any animal products at bottling. Some commercially produced base wines are treated with milk fining or gelatin in rare instances during processing, however to the best of our knowledge none of these products remain in the wine after processing."

Note from Amber:
"I thought it was sketchy that they said their wine contained no animal products "at bottling" and then spoke of wines in general, rather than their brand in particular. To me, it suggested that they either do use animal products during filtration or that whoever responded didn't know for sure or doesn't understand what makes a wine vegan or not. I wrote back asking for clarification but no one ever responded."

Company email (June 2010):
[when asked just "are your wines vegan] "Our wines are vegan friendly!"

(Editor's note: we sent them an email to clarify in June 2010 with no response)