Whether you go for a wine tasting, enjoy a good cheese board with a friend, or just have a drink after a long day at work, wine often goes hand in hand with a good night out.
And those on a gluten-free diet can take a sip too. Unlike liquor, wine is fermented, not distilled, so the gluten grains are not filtered. Most are made from fermented grapes, not wheat, rye, or barley grains, so they are naturally gluten-free .
But while most types of wine are naturally gluten-free, that doesn't mean all bottles are safe. It is always possible to experience a gluten-related reaction to distilled alcohol, although there is technically no gluten in the final product; however, this is usually due to the added ingredients.
Below we analyze the different types and if they have a green light for consumption.
Red wine
Red wine is made from fermented grapes, which are naturally gluten-free.
However, after fermentation, the red wine undergoes a process called clarification, which is used to clarify the alcohol. During the clarification process, ingredients can be added to the final product, some of which may contain gluten.
Although this can be potentially unsafe for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, researchers in a 2011 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found very little (if any) gluten content in the final product.
The gluten content in wine after the clarification process is below 20 parts per million, the maximum amount of gluten that the FDA allows a product to continue to be labeled gluten-free.
With all wines (and products in general), you should always check the ingredient label, as gluten-containing ingredients can be added after the wine has finished fermenting. The recipes vary from company to company. So, play it safe and always check the ingredient list or look for a gluten-free label on the bottle.
White wine
Like red wine, white does not usually contain gluten.
Made from naturally gluten-free grapes, white wine can also undergo a clarification process before the final product is bottled and sold. However, even after completing this procedure, you can generally purchase a bottle of white with complete confidence.
In some cases, white (along with other types of wine) can be stored in sealed barrels with wheat paste , which has raised concerns in the past. Fortunately, the wheat content in these barrels probably doesn't contain enough gluten to cause a reaction.
At the store, always check the ingredients added to the white wine you buy. Look for a gluten-free label on the bottle if you want to be even more sure that there is no gluten lurking.
Pink
Like white and red, rosé wine is made from fermented grapes, generally gluten and grain free. However, specially flavored rosé bottles may contain malt, a type of grain that contains gluten.
Unfortunately, most wine bottles are not sold with an ingredient list. Therefore, it is safest to look for a gluten-free label on the bottle. These bottles will comply with regulations, ensuring that they are safe to drink.
Champagne and sparkling
Despite their carbonation, champagne and sparkling wine are not much different from standard wine.
Like all types, sparkling wine is made by fermenting grapes; however, alcohol is specially bottled to trap carbon dioxide gas in the bottle, which is how wine gets its carbonation.
Since no gluten-containing ingredients are added in the champagne-making process, the drink is generally safe to drink. Again, though, it's best to look for a gluten-free label, as some specialty sparklers may have added gluten-containing ingredients.
