(Updated May 25, 2021) Martha Stewart is hosting a vegan wine tasting to raise money for animal rights charity the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
The businesswoman, renowned TV personality, and writer evidently has many talents, and one of them is tasting wine. In 2017, she launched Martha Stewart Wine Co., which offers a specially curated selection of vino from winemakers all over the world.
Not all wine is vegan. In many cases, gelatin, egg whites, milk proteins, and isinglass (the dried swim bladder of fish), are used in the fining process. But for the HSUS vegan tasting, called A Taste of Rescue!, Stewart’s company has provided three carefully selected vegan wines: a Sicilian Pinot Grigio from Due Mari, a 2018 Zinfandel from Sierra Trails, and a Gold Medal-winning 2019 Chateau Tour Neuve Côtes de Bourg Bordeaux.
Stewart herself will host the event, and she will be joined by award-winning wine director and sommelier Ferdinando Mucerino, as well as HSUS president and CEO Kitty Block.
Block said in a statement: “What an honor to spend an evening with the always informative, insightful, and elegant Martha Stewart.”
“Martha has decorated, stitched, and sewn her way into so many lives as a trailblazer for women, an accomplished business pioneer and the authority on dinner party décor,” she added. “She’s also a passionate animal advocate, devoted pet owner, and, of course, has excellent taste in wine!”
Leslie Durso, a vegan chef, wellness expert, and founding member of the Humane Society of the United States Next Generation Committee, told LIVEKINDLY: “Martha Stewart has such impeccable taste, I cannot wait to see her review the hand-selected wine! Tasting vegan wine and supporting the animals rescued by the HSUS sounds like the perfect evening to me.”
Martha Stewart Speaks Up for Animal Rights
A portion of the proceeds from the wine tasting event will go towards HSUS. Animal rights is a cause close to Stewart’s heart, who has spoken out against animal cruelty on several occasions.
She has renounced fur, encouraged people to eat more plant-based food, and has advocated for farm animals. In 2018, she wrote to members of the New Jersey legislature after they vetoed a bill that would prohibit the use of gestation crates in pig farming, asking them to rethink their decision.
But Stewart isn’t without controversy when it comes to this subject matter. In 2019, an investigation exposed cruelty at a True North salmon farm backed by the business mogul. The findings prompted a number of activists to ask Stewart to rethink her affiliation with the seafood brand.
But this new partnership and tasting shows it’s still important to Stewart to give back to the animals. Placing an order for the wine package will automatically register customers for the virtual event, which is due to take place on May 26. You can find out more information here.
