Lidl Portugal has launched its first certified vegan wine of national origin, Indelével Vegan Tinto Regional Alentejo.
Developed from a combination of Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez and Syrah grape varieties, Indelével Vegan Red Regional Alentejo wine features a ruby colour, ripe red fruit aromas and a smooth, warm and balanced flavour.
The wine is produced by the Portugal-based Parras, using distinctive production techniques – when the grapes reach their ideal ripeness, a night harvest is carried out to protect the aromatic profile and minimise oxidation.
Once in the winery, the grapes are partly destemmed and crushed, resulting in a fresh and aromatic must that ferments for around 12 days, at a controlled temperature of between 25o and 28oC, without any addition of products of animal origin.
Vegan Wine
Unlike traditional wines, which usually resort to adding animal gelatines, fish glue or egg white to speed up the clarification process, vegan wines do not use any products of animal origin or derivatives.
Rather, they use alternative elements of mineral or vegetable origin, from peas or potatoes. They also resort to the use of enzymes and yeasts, whose development and/or multiplication is certified in a controlled environment without substances of animal origin or derivatives.
Lidl Portugal works with around 40 national producers (including manufacturers' brands) from all regions of the country: Alentejo, Douro, Dão and Beiras, Setúbal Peninsula, Lisbon and Tagus Valley and Vinhos Verdes.
Around 60% of the retailer’s offer consists of Portuguese wines of its own or of exclusive brands.
Wine Exports
During fiscal year 2019, Lidl Portugal exported three million bottles of wine to 15 countries where the discounter has a marked presence, including the UK, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark and Ireland. Currently more than half of the wines exported are private label.
In March 2021, Lidl Portugal launched a 'Wine of the Month' initiative in stores, offering a wine from its assortment at a discount. Last year, it also introduced a new range of craft beers.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Branislav Pekic. For more Private Label news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
