Is Wine Gluten-Free?

If You’re Cutting Out Gluten, Does That Mean You Have to Cut Out Wine?

The Short Answer

Yes, wine is gluten-free!

The Long Answer

Wine is made from grapes, and grapes are gluten-free. This makes almost every variety of wine safe to drink, even for those suffering from celiac disease, or who have extreme sensitivity.

Of course, since this is gluten we’re discussing, nothing is ever simple. There are some aging processes which can cause gluten to be introduced into wine. Some processes use a wheat or flour-based paste to seal the oak barrels that wine is aged in. While this adds only an infinitesimal amount of gluten, some with high-sensitivity might still have a reaction.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a name for proteins found in rye, wheat, barley and triticale. Gluten functions as an edible adhesive, holding foods together and maintaining their shape.

Gluten can be dangerous for those with an autoimmune reaction known as celiac disease. Affected individuals could see heightened weight loss, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, persistent diarrhea or constipation, brain fog and a skin disease called dermatitis.

Gluten is also known to cause gut inflammation, which can lead to digested food making its way into the bloodstream through the intestines. As such, harmful viruses and bacteria that would have normally been eliminated by the digestive system could be let loose into the bloodstream.

Eliminating gluten from your diet can lead to easy weight loss and increased energy in individuals, which is why it has become such a popular diet trend.