Sonoma County Vegan Wineries

Once rare to find wine that qualified as 100% vegan, today, a shift to more natural winemaking means that an impressive number of Sonoma County wines have earned the distinction of being truly vegan.

Why wouldn’t wine be considered vegan? Well, historically, the process of fining and filtering wines (i.e. clarifying or polishing the finished product so that there are no sediment or particles accumulating at the bottom of the bottle and the wine appears clean and smooth) involved the use of fining agents that included animal ingredients. There’s nothing unusual about these ingredients in winemaking, and these fining and filtering methods are still prevalent in most commercial wine-producing regions around the world.  

However, the move toward more natural winemaking processes and minimal intervention have naturally led to a higher number of wineries choosing to abstain from fining or filtering their wines altogether and/or the use of different, non-animal derived ingredients to fine their wines. 

As a result, there are now more wineries in Sonoma County that qualify as vegan than ever before. So many, in fact, that we can’t profile them all here. Below, we’ve highlighted a selection worth exploring.

*Please note that while the winemaking practices and therefore the wines at these wineries are 100% vegan, the wineries themselves do not adhere to vegan diets or vegan offerings (i.e. you may find charcuterie and cheese pairings or other meat and dairy food offerings at these wineries). 

Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg

 

Founded in the 1960s, Alexander Valley Vineyards is a fourth-generation family-run estate that achieved certification for its sustainably grown vineyards in 2019. No animal by-products are used in filtering or the production of the popular wines here.

The winery is renowned for its red wines, including its famous and highly acclaimed Sin Zin, Redemption Zin, and Cyrus (a blend of Bordeaux varietals), as well as numerous estate wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. 

Amista Vineyards, Healdsburg

All Amista’s wines are vegan as a result of the winery’s commitment to minimal-intervention winemaking. No fining agents are added to the popular array of Amista wines. The wine-making focus is to keep wines balanced naturally, through the growing process, pressing, and duration of skin contact, to name a few. Amista’s vineyards are farmed organically, certified Sustainable, and free of herbicides and glyphosates.  

Find exceptional red wines here, such as Syrah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as delightful estate sparkling wines and a few other unique varietals. 

Bedrock Wine Co., Sonoma 

This micro-winery is run by Morgan Twain-Peterson (son of longtime winemaker Joel Peterson) and his partner, Chris Cottrell, to craft exceptional wines without the use of unnecessary fining agents. 

According to Morgan, “It has long been the practice at Bedrock Wine Co. to eschew the use of anything that includes animal products in our winemaking process.”

Here, the wide range of naturally produced wines includes varieties such as Chardonnay and Syrah, sourced from special or uncommon sites, as well as unique varieties like Carignan and Cabernet Pfeffer. The focus is on properly matching a site and a variety, resulting in wines with ideal ripeness, freshness, and aromatics.   

Horse and Plow Winery, Sebastopol

Horse and Plow Winery is a farm, winery, and cidery. The business employs organic farming methods and traditional techniques to craft small lots of high-quality, balanced, and food-friendly wines and ciders. 

Here, the commitment to healthy practices means that wines are produced without synthetic ingredients, additives, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Horse and Plow products contain very minimal sulfites and undergo no fining or filtering with animal byproducts.   

Their popular offerings include a variety of white, red, and rosé wines, focusing on freshness that allows the character of the fruit and vineyard to shine through. 

Kivelstadt Cellars, Sonoma 

At Kivelstadt Cellars, owner and winemakers Jordan Kivelstadt and Sam Baron focus on a minimalist approach without the use of chemicals that should “never be in wine.” They start with organic and biodynamic grapes, ensure optimal fruit ripeness, and use only native yeasts. Light, aromatic white wines are stabilized with natural clay, while red wines undergo malolactic fermentation, allowing them to be bottled unfined. 

Kivelstadt offers a range of fresh, drinkable white, pink, orange, and red wines, including a few wines on tap that can be taken home in refillable growlers. 

Old World Winery, Santa Rosa

Fully committed to environmental and social responsibility, the exceptional wines at Old World Winery are 100% organic, contain very low sulfites, and are bottled without the use of fining or filtering. They use organically, biodynamically, and regeneratively farmed fruit to care for the planet and minimize environmental impact.  
 
Located in the renowned Russian River Valley growing region, Old World Winery boasts a number of unique wines, including rare grape varieties such as Abouriou, Mondeuse Noire, Trousseau Gris, and Chasselas blends. They also make a farmstead cider.   

Radio Coteau, Sebastopol

Radio Coteau is a small winery, cidery, organic farm, and ranch located on a cool coastal ridgetop in the Russian River Valley. Owner and winegrower Eric Sussman and his team strike a balance between nature’s expression and a delicate human touch. The focus for these handcrafted wines is low intervention, dry farming, and organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices. Radio Coteau’s wines don’t get fined, filtered, or treated with unnatural additives or animal byproducts. The estate vineyard and farm have been Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2008. 

The winery makes a range of small-lot Sonoma Coast wines, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Riesling, as well as a range of farmstead ciders. 

More Sonoma County wineries with vegan wine:

• Anaba Wines, Sonoma
• Three Sticks, Sonoma
• Bacigalupi Vineyards, Healdsburg
• Smith Story Wine Cellars, Healdsburg
• B. Wise Vineyards, Kenwood
• Balletto Vineyards, Santa Rosa
• Two Shepherds Wine, Windsor

These Sonoma County wineries also offer vegan wine options:

• Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery, Sonoma
• Roche Winery and Vineyards, Sonoma
• Pangloss Cellars, Sonoma
• Benziger Family Winery, Glen Ellen
• Sosie Wines, Santa Rosa

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Written by Brooke Herron