Gallo Family Wine is Not Vegan Friendly

Company email (November 2022):
"We do not make any claims about being suitable for vegan or vegetarian diets since there are many variations in fining which may involve ingredients not suitable for all formats of the vegan and or vegetarian lifestyle. Generally, none of these ingredients remain in the wine because they are removed by filtration prior to bottling."

Company email (March 2015):
"Our winemakers tell us that gelatin and proteins from animal or fish products and milk or eggs have been used in winemaking for centuries and are recognized as traditional methods for wine fining, or clarifying. Generally, none of these products remain in the wine because they are removed by filtration prior to bottling. A few of our premium wines that undergo minimal or no filtration prior to bottling are exceptions and therefore may not be completely free of animal products."

In response to your inquiry, our winemakers tell us both animal and fish products (e.g., commercial, food-grade gelatin) have been used in winemaking for centuries and are recognized as traditional methods for wine fining, or clarifying. Generally no gelatin remains in the wine because it reacts with the wine components, as it clarifies, and forms a sediment which is removed by filtration prior to bottling. Exceptions to this are a few of our premium wines that undergo minimal or no filtration prior to bottling and therefore may not be completely free of animal products.

Treatment of wines with milk or egg products is a common wine industry practice and is done by winemakers as needed to provide the appropriate treatment and clarity to the wine. These milk or egg products are removed during the filtering of the wines after treatment. At Gallo Family Vineyard we go one step further to verify that milk or egg products do not remain after filtration by testing each lot of wine that is treated.