What Wine is Accepted for Communion?

[Gh0st]

If I were to donate a fancy expensive wine to a local church, would it have to be a specific wine? I haven’t read anywhere in canon law describing the type of wine it HAS to be, so are there no restrictions? Does it even have to be grape wine?

 

[Augustinian]

Sacramental wine has to meet purity requirements in order to be used in a mass. Just because a wine is expensive, doesn’t mean it can be used.

However, many priests don’t have a problem with drinking a little bit of wine from time to time, so I’m sure if you donated a fancy and expensive wine, it will still be put to good use outside of mass.

 

[Obl_OSB]

Sacramental wine, or Altar wine, must be made purely from grapes meaning that it cannot be even a partially blended fruit wine. It can be fortified, that is brandy can be added but it must also be purely made from grapes. It is preferred in some parishes or religious communities that the alcohol content be near 17% alcohol by volume, but the sacramental wine cannot be “alcohol free.” Please check with your senior pastor prior to the donation of course. Pax Christi!

 

[FrDavid96]

If I were to donate a fancy expensive wine to a local church, would it have to be a specific wine? I haven’t read anywhere in canon law describing the type of wine it HAS to be, so are there no restrictions? Does it even have to be grape wine?

It has to be pure grape wine, naturally made.

It does not have to be any certain type of grape wine or any color, or brand.

It cannot have any extra ingredients such as sugars, syrups, spices, or even fresh grape juice.

Once we eliminate the obvious, such as sangria or wine labeled cherry or peach, most (but not all) good quality wine will probably meet the standards for valid matter. There is no way of telling from just the label.

Edit: the exception is that if it is indeed labeled as altar wine and has ecclesiastical approbation, then we know it’s valid matter.