Names to look for on labels
- shaoxing wine
- shaoxing rice wine
- cooking sake
- mijiu
- makgeolli
- soju
What to do
Avoid products containing this unless the pack clearly states a halal source or carries a recognised halal certification.
More about rice wine
Rice wine is made by fermenting rice. It includes mirin, sake and Shaoxing wine. Their alcohol content is usually in the range of 14 to 20 per cent by volume.
They are used as cooking ingredients in Asian dishes, in marinades, sauces and broths. 'Mirin-style seasoning' sold as a cooking sauce may contain little or no alcohol, and the label shows it.
Is rice wine vegetarian or vegan?
Rice wine contains no animal products, so it is usually vegetarian and vegan, but that does not make it halal.
Found in 1 UK product we checked
Why we classify it this way
Haram An alcoholic drink, haram. Common in Chinese, Japanese and Korean sauces.
Basis: Prohibited. It is, or is made from, something the Qur'an prohibits.
References
- Qur'an 5:90, Quran.com. Intoxicants and gambling are called evil and are to be avoided.
Classification audited 3 November 2026. It has not been reviewed by a scholar. How classifications work · Suggest a correction
Is rice wine vinegar halal?
It depends on the school you follow, so we mark it Doubtful. Rice wine vinegar is made by fermenting rice wine further until the alcohol turns into acetic acid, so the same differences apply as for wine vinegar: the Hanafi school permits it, and the other schools set conditions on how the wine became vinegar. Plain rice vinegar made from rice, with no wine step stated, is Halal.
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Rice wine (mirin, sake, Shaoxing wine, soju) | Haram: alcoholic drink |
| Rice vinegar | Halal |
| Rice wine vinegar | Doubtful: schools differ; Halal in the Hanafi setting |
| Seasoned rice vinegar (for sushi) | Usually halal; check for added mirin |
| "Cooking sake" or "aji-mirin" | Contains alcohol; avoid |
Sushi rice is usually seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar and salt, which is halal. Some restaurants add mirin, so ask. See is sushi halal?
More questions
Is rice vinegar the same as rice wine?
No. Rice wine is an alcoholic drink; rice vinegar is made from it but no longer contains alcohol in any meaningful amount.
Is rice wine vinegar haram?
Not in itself. It is made from rice wine, and scholars differ on vinegar made from wine, so we mark it Doubtful. See wine vinegar for each school's view.
Quick answers
Is rice wine halal?
Rice wine is haram. An alcoholic drink, haram. Common in Chinese, Japanese and Korean sauces.
Where does rice wine come from?
Fermented rice.
Is rice wine vegetarian or vegan?
Rice wine contains no animal products, so it is usually vegetarian and vegan, but that does not make it halal.