Symington Family Estates has some vegan options

Address: Travessa Barão de Forrester 86 Apartado 26
Vila Nova de Gaia, 4431-901
Portugal
Phone: +351 22 377 6332
Fax: +351 22 377 6301
Email: symington@symington.com
URL: https://www.symington.com/
Checked by: Simon
Double checked by: Carolyne, Sundar, Rebbekah, Rache, Steve, Jennifer, Ty, Steve, Alex, Luke
Added: over 12 years ago
Double Checked: almost 4 years ago

Products by Symington Family Estates:

Company email (March 2022)
"All ports that are stored and/or aged in wooden barrels, such as Dow’s Master Blend Finest Reserve port, may sometimes (but not always) need fining before they are bottled. This fining process, or ‘clarification’, involves the use of animal derived fining agents.

If this is not ideal for you, we would suggest the switch to port styles that are not fined in any way. All our bottle-aged ports are suitable for both vegans and vegetarians as they are not fined or filtered.

These include:
Vintage Ports: Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Warre’s, Smith Woodhouse and Quinta do Vesúvio
Single Quinta Vintage Ports:
Graham’s - Quinta dos Malvedos
Dow’s - Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Bomfim
Warre’s - Quinta da Cavadinha
Cockburn’s - Quinta dos Canais
Smith Woodhouse - Madalena
Crusted Ports: Graham’s and Dow’s
Bottle-Matured LBV Port: Warre’s and Smith Woodhouse"

Company email (April 2020)
"All ports that are stored and/or aged in wooden barrels, such as Warre’s Warrior, may sometimes (but not always) need fining before they are bottled. This fining process, or ‘clarification’, involves the use of animal derived fining agents.

"If this is not ideal for you, we would suggest the switch to port styles that are not fined in any way. Those are the Bottle-Matured Ports that are bottled without any kind of fining or filtration, and have therefore no contact whatsoever with animal based products."

Steve notes (April 2020)

"Cockburns special reserve port is vegan. I emailed your standard question and received a reply with attachments"

Company email (May 2019)
"Regarding your question about Warre’s Fine Ruby Port and Warre’s Fine Tawny Port we are pleased to inform that these wines may be fined with pork gelatine."

Company email (September 2018)
"Regarding your question about Graham’s 10 Years Old Tawny Port we are pleased to inform that this wine is not suitable for Vegans and Vegetarians since it may be fined with bentonite and pork gelatine.

"I take this opportunity to introduce you to a portfolio of wines suitable for consumption by Vegans and Vegetarians, whose price quality ratio is very satisfactory and that You will surely appreciate. You can try and appreciate:

Vintage Ports from all our brands: Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Warre’s, Smith Woodhouse and Quinta do Vesúvio

Single Quinta Vintage Ports (Graham’s - Quinta dos Malvedos, Dow’s - Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Bomfim, Warre’s - Quinta da Cavadinha, Cockburn’s - Quinta dos Canais, Smith Woodhouse - Madalena)

Crusted Ports (Graham’s and Dow’s)

Bottled Matured LBV Port (Late Bottled Vintage Port) - Warre’s and Smith Woodhouse"

Company email (January 2018)
"Regarding your question about Dow’s Trademark Finest Reserve Port we are pleased to inform that this wine is not suitable for consumption by Vegans and Vegetarians because it may be fined with Pork gelatin and Bentonite.

"We take this opportunity to introduce you to a portfolio of wines suitable for Vegans and Vegetarians, whose price quality ratio is very satisfactory and that you will surely appreciate.

"You can try and appreciate:

"Vintage Ports from all our brands (Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Warre’s, Smith Woodhouse)
Single Quinta Vintage Ports (Quinta dos Malvedos – Graham’s, Quinta do Vesúvio (all wines), Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Bomfim – Dow’s, Quinta da Cavadinha – Warre’s, Quinta dos Canais – Cockburn’s and Madalena – Smith Woodhouse)
Crusted Ports – Graham’s and Dow’s
Late Bottled Matured Vintage Ports - Warre’s and Smith Woodhouse"

Company email (November 2017) re: Cockburn’s Special Reserve
"No, we don’t use or have any animal or animal ingredients in our production process... All the Wines are bottled exclusively in Vila Nova de Gaia – Portugal."

Company email (July 2017) re Atlano
"Regarding your question about the use of animal products in the fining process, we are pleased to inform you that Altano Douro DOC Red may be fined with pork gelatin. All the other Altano wines are suitable for the consumption by Vegan and Vegetarians."

Company email (December 2015):

"Regarding your question about the Port wines suitable for a Vegan diet we are pleased to introduce you to a portfolio of wines suitable for consumption by Vegans and Vegetarians, whose price quality ratio is very satisfactory and that You will surely appreciate.

"You can try and appreciate:

* Vintage Ports from all our brands: Graham’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Warre’s, Smith Woodhouse and Quinta do Vesúvio
* Single Quinta Vintage Ports
** Graham’s - Quinta dos Malvedos
** Dow’s - Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Bomfim
** Warre’s - Quinta da Cavadinha
** Cockburn’s - Quinta dos Canais
** Smith Woodhouse - Madalena
* Crusted Ports – Graham’s and Dow’s
* Warre’s and Smith Woodhouse – Bottled Matured LBV Port (Late Bottled Vintage Port)"

Company email (October 2015):
"...we are pleased to inform you that, except Bottled Matured Ports, namely Vintage Ports, Single Quinta Vintage Ports and crusted Ports, Port wines may be fined with Pork Gelatin and Bentonite. Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port may be fined with Pork Gelatin and Bentonite."

Company email (August 2015):
"In response to your query, two of Cockburn’s Ports, Cockburn’s Vintage Port and Cockburn’s Quinta dos Canais Single Quinta Vintage Port are suitable for vegans. All other styles of Cockburn’s Port (ruby, tawny, white, LBV and Special Reserve) could potentially contain traces of products unsuitable for vegans."

Company email (April 2013):
"Regarding your question we would like to inform that during the production of Dows Fine Ruby Port more precisely at the fining step it is only used Gelatine from porcine origin. Please note that this is not an ingredient but a processing aid. No other product from animal source is used."

Company email (December 2011):
"In fact, some of the premium Ports (modern LBV, Reserves, Aged Tawnies) are fined with egg components. Those are suitable for vegetarians but not for vegans.

Almost all the standard Ports are fined with animal products (Ruby, Tawny, White).

Anyway, you can enjoy all the Bottle Matured Ports, those are not fined, clarified or filtered:

Vintage Port
Quinta Vintage Port
Bottle Aged Late Bottled Vintage (also designated as Bottle Matured Late Bottled Vintage)

Examples of very good Ports you can drink:
Dow’s Vintage Port
Warre’s Vintage Port
Cockburn’s Vintage Port
Graham’s Vintage Port
Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port
Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha Vintage Port
Cockburn’s Quinta dos Canais Vintage Port
Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port
Warre’s Bottle Aged LBV
Smith Woodhouse Bottle Matured LBV