Is 19 Crimes Wine Vegan and Cruelty Free? The Bitter Truth

May 2, 2023

Trying to work out if 19 Crimes Wine is vegan can be a difficult task.

19 Crimes Wine, just like many other wine brands, has a variety of products and flavors. Each will usually have its own ingredients and production processes. 

This can make it tricky to determine whether all of their wines are vegan friendly or not. To make things more complicated, some wines that are considered “vegan” may still use animal-derived products during the fining process.

To make sure you only eat foods that align with your vegan lifestyle, I’ve investigated the ingredients and production methods of 19 Crimes Wine, and here’s what I’ve found out.

Is 19 Crimes Red Wine Vegan?

Unfortunately, 19 Crimes wine is not vegan. In fact, 19 Crimes says so themselves in an email response to Barnivore Vegan Booze Guide. They stated that their “red wines are not vegan as they are likely to be clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass,” the latter of which is a fish-derived fining agent.

These fining agents make it clear that 19 Crimes Wine is not vegan. So, if you’re a vegan who enjoys the occasional glass of wine, 19 Crimes is not the brand for you.

Is 19 Crimes Red Wine Cruelty Free?

19 Crimes wines, despite being non-vegan friendly, are actually cruelty free. The wine doesn’t have any ingredient that is tested on animals during production, nor are the products tested on animals.

What are ‘Fining Agents’?

Fining agents are used to remove impurities from wine. Common fining agents include egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These agents are all derived from animals and are therefore not vegan.

Fining agents are added to wine during the clarification process. This process removes solid particles from the wine, which results in a clearer final product. The solid particles that are removed during the clarification process can include dead yeast cells, bits of grape skin, and other organic matter.

What Is 19 Crimes Wine Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of 19 Crimes Red Wine:

  • Alcohol: 15%

Varietal:

  • Shiraz: 86%
  • Merlot: 7%
  • Cabernet: 7%

Potential fining agents:

  • Egg albumin
  • Casein from milk
  • Gelatin
  • Isinglass

Let’s break down each ingredient of 19 Crimes Red Wine:

Alcohol: 15%

Alcohol in wine is made by fermentation, which is a process that uses yeast to convert the sugars in grapes into alcohol. Alcohol by itself is vegan.

Varietal

The varietal is the type of grape used to make the wine. In this case, 19 Crimes Red Wine is made with Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet grapes. They are vegan as they are pure grapes.

Shiraz

Shiraz is a type of red grape that is often used to make full-bodied wines.

Merlot

Merlot is a type of red grape that is known for its softness and fruitiness.

Cabernet

Cabernet is a type of red grape that is known for its bold flavors and high tannin content.

Egg albumin

Egg albumin is a protein that is derived from eggs. It is often used as a fining agent in wine. It is, of course, not a vegan ingredient.

Casein from milk

Casein is a protein that is derived from milk. It is also often used as a fining agent in wine. Casein is a milk derivative and is not vegan.

Gelatin

Gelatin is a protein that is derived from animals. It is also often used as a fining agent in wine. Gelatin is an animal derivative and is not vegan.

Isinglass

Isinglass is a protein that is derived from fish. It is also often used as a fining agent in wine. Isinglass is a fish derivative and is not vegan.

Why Aren’t 19 Crimes Wines Vegan?

This brand sadly isn’t vegan because of the fining agents that the wine is clarified with. These fining agents are all derived from animals and are therefore not vegan. If you’re a vegan who enjoys the occasional glass of wine, 19 Crimes is not the brand for you.

To check for vegan wine, simply look at the label and look for the words unfiltered or unrefined. These wines have not been clarified with any animal-derived fining agents.

Is 19 Crimes Sauv Block Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes Sauv Black is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption. 

Is 19 Crimes Hard Chard Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes Chard is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes The Banished Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes The Banished is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes The Deported Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes The Deported is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes The Uprising Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes The Uprising is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes Red Blend Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes Red Blend is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes Shiraz Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes Shiraz is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon Vegan?

No. 19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon is not vegan because it is likely to have been clarified with fining agents such as egg albumin, casein from milk, gelatin, and isinglass. These fining agents are all animal products and are not vegan.

This product is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is 19 Crimes Wine Gluten-Free?

19 Crimes wine is actually gluten free. The wine contains no gluten ingredients and is safe for people with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance to drink.

Vegan-Friendly Alternatives to 19 Crimes Wine

If you’re in the market for a vegan wine and were hoping to find one in 19 Crimes, don’t despair. Vegan wine is available from these other winemakers: 

Final Words

So, there you have it. The answer to the question “Is 19 Crimes Wine Vegan?” is, unfortunately, no. Despite wines having mostly organically grown grapes as their main ingredient, the animal-derived fining agents that are used to clarify the wine make it non-vegan.

If you are a vegan who would like to enjoy a glass of wine, then you may want to try one of the vegan-friendly alternatives that I listed above.