People become vegan for a variety of reasons.  Some care about the environment. They want to see the preservation of our planet.  According to dealsonhealth.net , “not eating meat and dairy products can reduce a person’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73%.” 

 Some people are animal lovers and don’t want millions of them to be slaughtered every day for food.  Dealsonhealth.net also reports that “25 million farm animals are slaughtered in the US every day.”  

Other people care about their health and don’t want the higher health risks that come with eating a lot of meat.  “Plant-based foods are more protective than animal food groups against chronic diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver disorders and cancers” according to viva.org.

One thing that is common among a lot of different vegans is that they love wine.  Different wines pair with different foods. This adds a special element to all sorts of plant-based meals.  People may go out of their way to order plant-based at restaurants or cook it at their home. They don’t always consider the ingredients that go into their wine.  

According to an article on time.com, “some winemakers still use traditional animal-derived “fining” agents such as egg whites, gelatin, or casein (derived from milk) to clarify the liquid, reduce bitterness, or bind and extract excess tannins in red wines, leaving behind softer ones.” To be considered vegan, wine needs to be either unfined or fined with animal-free agents.  

One of the most popular destinations for foodies and wine lovers alike is Sonoma County also known as ‘wine country.’  There are many vegan friendly wineries found in Sonoma County such as Ceja Vineyards in the town of Sonoma.  According to californiawineryadvisor.com, “Ceja offers visitors five tastings from their wine selection for $20.”  The winery offers outdoor seating so visitors can enjoy a vegan-friendly picnic. 

 Three Sticks Wines is another vegan winery located in the town of Sonoma and is participating in Miyoko’s Wine Country 2.0 campaign. The campaign will bring a vegan wine and food experience all over Wine Country.  More information about Wine Country 2.0 can be found on their Twitter profile.  

Thumbprint Cellars is an all-vegan winery located in downtown Healdsburg.  More information about Thumbprint Cellars can be found on their Facebook page. A slide show of their tasting room can be seen on vegnoma.com.  

You may be just learning about vegan food and wine or you may be an experienced vegan connoisseur. Wherever you are on your vegan journey, you will be amazed by the variety of vegan wine options that can be found in Sonoma County. Try pairing your next plant-based meal with a delicious vegan wine from Wine Country.