As veganism is gaining in popularity minute by minute, for ALL the right reasons, we thought we'd do our best to help bring the wine loving vegan community up to speed with some of the greatest vegan wines available for purchase in the UK!
RAVENSWOOD LODI ZINFANDEL
Wine: Lodi Zinfandel
Winemaker: Ravenswood
Vintage: 2014
Variety: Zinfandel
Price: £11.99
Perfect Pairing: Vegetable Hotpot Click Here For Recipe
This full bodied beast from Lodi performs to an exceptionally high standard year on year and 2014 is every bit as good as previous years. Absolutely packed with blueberry, baked plum, mocha and vanilla, with a dry spicy finish. As mentioned this is a big 'ole wine so a good bit of breathing time really helps release everything it has to offer. A great wine to pair with a warming winter vegetable hotpot and plantain dumplings after a hard days work as the cold nights begin to draw in.
FAUSTINO 1 GRAN RESERVA RIOJA
Wine: Faustino 1 Gran Reserva
Winemaker: Faustino
Vintage: 2004
Variety: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo
Price: £14.00
Perfect Pairing: Moroccan lentil and butternut squash bake Click here for recipe
Everything about this wine typifies Rioja, the nose and palate are packed full of perfumed red fruit, liquorice, cured meat and leather. The mouthfeel is velvety and this wine really is a class act. For this price you're getting a wine that's over a decade old that has spent a minimum two years in oak and three years in the bottle prior to release, such is the strict ageing rules for Rioja. A great showpiece for a dinner party and lends itself beautifully to Moroccan lentil and butternut squash bake.
LA GIOIOSA PROSECCO SUPERIORE
Wine: Prosecco Superiore
Winemaker: La Gioiosa
Vintage: NV
Variety: Glera
Price: £13.49
Perfect Pairing: Sweet potato and black bean chilli Click here for recipe
A fantastic alternative to higher priced Champagnes, which is an absolute must over the Christmas period as supermarkets gear up to take advantage of unsuspecting customers by aggressively marketing lesser known brands in a bid to take advantage of the infamous North Eastern region of France. Granny Smith apple, tinned peaches and subtly toasted almonds. Vibrant, refreshing and very characterful, perfect as an aperitif and even better with sweet potato and black bean chilli.
DEFINITION CHABLIS
Wine: Definition Chablis
Winemaker: Majestic Wines Defintion Range
Vintage: 2015
Variety: Chardonnay
Price: £14.99
Perfect Pairing: Zucchini fritters and spiced hummus Click here for recipe
A wonderful example of a well made Chardonnay, absolutely perfect to pair with zucchini fritters and spiced hummus. White flowers, lemon and lime with a nice slightly nutty finish. Bone dry, with a pronounced intensity and persistent finish. This wine stands out, where often the quality associated with the region precedes the drink in front of you. Long live affordable quality Chablis.
NATALE VERGA PRIMITIVO
Wine: Primitivo
Winemaker: Natale Verga
Vintage: 2015
Variety: Primitivo
Price: £7.99
Perfect Pairing: Falafel and artichoke pizza Click here for recipe
There's a lot to be said for Puglian Primitivo, sadly lesser known than Zinfandel, even though they're genetically identical, but there's a trend sweeping across the UK right now where Primitivo is well and truly making a statement. Rich and powerful, packed with inky dark fruits, milk chocolate and dried spices. A real mouthful and incredibly moreish. For the money it doesn't get much better. Try it with falafel and artichoke pizza, it's simply sublime!