Gluten has become all the rage in contemporary diet-based circles in recent years. While many people are actually intolerant to gluten, others have converted to a gluten-free diet for its various purported health benefits.Most people hear about gluten-free goods mostly in the context of desserts or dough-based goods. However, gluten may also be found in some drinks, alcohol is no exception.

Here comes the question, does wine have gluten? You may think of wine as perhaps the least processed of alcoholic beverages, with a mention of the word bringing up images of grapes bursting with flavor, quaint French towns and an air of sophistication. Below, we explore how wine – the nectar of the gods – fares on the gluten test.

Does Wine Have Gluten?

A large majority of wine is gluten-free, becausethe main ingredient of wine – grapes – does not contain any gluten. Therefore, there are many kinds of wine that are completely safe for people with gluten allergies. These include the famous Champagne variety, port, and even vermouth.

However, some flavored wines (such as dessert wines) may use other ingredients that could contain gluten. More importantly, the pigment added to wine which gives it a distinguishing or pleasing color may also contain gluten. These wines are therefore not safe to drink for individuals who have Celiac disease or high sensitivity to gluten.

In addition, the making process of wine may introduce gluten to the wine in unexpected ways. As an example, some winemakers may use gluten-based substances like wheat or flour to seal the aging wine's containers which usually are oak barrels. Although only trace amount of gluten is presented in the final wine, people who have gluten intolerance may have some reactions.

It is also important to remember that most wine coolers—carbonated beverage that contains a mixture of wine and fruit juice— are made using malt, which is not recommended for those with gluten sensitivity.

How to Select Gluten-Free Wine

There are many ways to ensure that the wine you have chosen is gluten-free. One of the easiest ways is to check the manufacturing and ingredient details on the label of the wines you have chosen.

Since most wines without special flavor being added are made only of grapes, you know that gluten could only have been introduced during the wine making or storing process. While it is harder to pinpoint exactly what kind of storage facilities a winemaker has, a lot of the more established firms will have information about the way they produce, stock and distribute their wine.

Therefore, only drink wine made by brands that you can readily research online, or whose source you can easily trace. If none of this gives you any clues, it is best to check with wine manufacturers themselves to ensure that their wine-making process does not introduce gluten to the wines they produce.

Brands of Gluten-Free Wine

While we know the answer to the question, does wine have gluten? we still need to make the choice of wine easier for ourselves. Those who have celiac disease would be wise to stick to a number of tried and tested gluten-free wines rather than experimenting continuously and accidently being exposed to gluten. Here are some brands of gluten-free wines for your reference.

• Cupcake Vineyards and Frey Vineyards – Both of these are made by Californian firms that offer gluten-free wine, and the wine of Frey Vineyard is also being vegan.
• E. and J. Gallo Winery and Beringer Vineyards – The two companies both claim that all their wines are gluten free.
• Yellow Tail – All their red wines are safe for people with gluten intolerance, but the other wines may not be. It is advised to check with the manufacturers before any other type of wine is consumed.

For more information about gluten-free beverages, click here.