Sacramental wine

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foxc1

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I don’t really know where else to post this, and if I posted on the wrong place, I’m really sorry.

I have been wondering what is what makes sacramental wine so special? Why can’t one buy this type of wine at a store? It tastes very different, and in fact, I like the taste better than regular red wine.

If during consecration the wine becomes Christ’s blood, then why make a special type of wine? Why can’t it be sold on regular stores? I searched this on the web and only found that this wine is only sold to clergy.

:confused: :rolleyes:
 
AFIK, the wine has to be very basic and pure - just grapes and water. No additives, no preservatives. We have local wineries who make altar wine.
 
kage_ar said:
AFIK, the wine has to be very basic and pure - just grapes and water. No additives, no preservatives. We have local wineries who make altar wine.
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But would it be acceptable if a lay person bought this type of wine?
 
Ask the Parish Office where they purchase the wine, and to the distributor. They will let you know if they sell to individuals. If you are asking if it is somehow “wrong”, wine is wine until Consecration.

You could also try making pure wine yourself!

I love a good red, and find most altar wine very sweet (toooo sweet for my tastes). Another suggestion, go to a good wine seller and tell them that you like sweet red wine, and they will most likely have some you can taste that might be more to your liking.
 
foxc1 said:
But would it be acceptable if a lay person bought this type of wine?
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Most of the wineries who make “sacramental wine” also sell the same wine to anyone who wants it. Thus, anyone can buy it.

Deacon Ed
 
kage_ar said:
AFIK, the wine has to be very basic and pure - just grapes and water. No additives, no preservatives. We have local wineries who make altar wine.
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It can be “fortified” with pure spirits made from grapes though. Lots of sacramental wine is, because it won’t change to vinegar that way, but still meets the requirements of only using grapes.
Also, almost all sacramental wine has sulfites, because they are a natural byproduct of fermentation.

Yours in Christ,
Thursday
 
I was in the sacristine room of a church once and I saw an empty box of wine (a popular brand you could buy in a store) sitting on the counter…

…I was a little taken aback.
 
kage_ar said:
AFIK, the wine has to be very basic and pure - just grapes and water. No additives, no preservatives. We have local wineries who make altar wine.
Click to expand...
But how does this work with the dogma of transubstansiation? Shouldn’t any wine work for this? Additives and preservatives should not take away from anything. My church used to use donated box wine and now we have the special “approved” wine.
 
uwwhitewater84 said:
I was in the sacristine room of a church once and I saw an empty box of wine (a popular brand you could buy in a store) sitting on the counter…

…I was a little taken aback.
Click to expand...
Well, it should not matter with the transubstansiation process/dogma.
 
colliric said:
So standard wine can be used but isn’t really nominal?
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This is purely a guess, but even if wine with additives was used, “Ecclesia Supplet” might prevail, as the would be ignorance on the part of the congregation, and they expect proper matter to be used. I’m not really sure if “Ecclesia Supplet” can apply to situations with improper matter, but I’m sure Alex V could tell us.
So, Alxe V if you read this, is that possible?

Yours in Christ,
Thursday
 
My family priest growing up regularly used to bring bottles of Altar Wine (unconsecrated of course) when he visited for lunch, so it shouldn’t be an issue to buy it.

The bread and wine used at Mass are meant to be as pure as possible, without any additives. The reason for this is partly that we are trying as much as possible to use what Christ used at the Last Supper.

Mainly, however, that only the purest is fitting for use in celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (like only unblemished animals and food offerings were acceptable for sacrifice in the OT).

And if you start adding small amounts of chemical preservatives, it starts on a slippery slope where people think they can add ANYTHING - so you end up with raisin bread or cookies or what have you being used instead.
 
LilyM said:
And if you start adding small amounts of chemical preservatives, it starts on a slippery slope where people think they can add ANYTHING - so you end up with raisin bread or cookies or what have you being used instead.
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Exactly, and chemical preservative are unnecessary, alcohol is a natural preservative. And Pure spirits from grapes can be added to ensure the wine does not change to vinegar, and nothing else is needed.

Yours in Christ,
Thursday
 
Hello,

In regards to the taste of the sacramental wine, I think it is because the wine used is a young wine and hasn’t aged. This will cause the wine to retain a more fruity flavor to it.
 
You don’t really want to drink altar wine anyways,
it maybe pure and young, but it has a very high alcohol
content too, from 12 to 18% where as consumer wine is around 2 to 4 % alcohol.
 
I just checked the wines I have in my fridge, they range from 6% to 11% alcohol. Perhaps you were thinking about beer? Beer generally has less alcohol by volume than wine.
 
Leopard said:
I just checked the wines I have in my fridge, they range from 6% to 11% alcohol. Perhaps you were thinking about beer? Beer generally has less alcohol by volume than wine.
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Well, my experience of an EM has left me with a nice buzz after mass more than a few times. 😉
 
FrCorey said:
You don’t really want to drink altar wine anyways,
it maybe pure and young, but it has a very high alcohol
content too, from 12 to 18% where as consumer wine is around 2 to 4 % alcohol.
Click to expand...
Are you thinking of beer? Beer will typically have a alcohol percentage of between 2-7%. Wine will typically be 11-18%. And that is not high because a distilled spirit can have an alcohol percentage of up to 75% (151 proof). 😉

p.s. - the age of a wine has nothing to due with its alcohol content unless the alcohol is evaporating, which isn’t supposed to be happening.
 
I’ve often wondered if certified kosher (if that is a proper term) wine
would be permitted as an altar wine. It could be supposed that the wine at the Last Supper was kosher. Does anyone have an answer to this?
 
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