Michael Brooks
Wine is a key component of the Eucharist, a Christian ritual also known as Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. The Catholic Church generally adheres to the rule that sacramental wine must be pure grape wine, although there are some circumstances where a minimally fermented wine called mustum may be used. Over the centuries, various criteria have been established for the wine to be considered appropriate for the Eucharist, and while the colour of the wine is not prescribed, it is usually red to better symbolise its transformation into the blood of Christ.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bread | Must be made of wheat and recently made |
| Wine | Must be made from grapes, but not necessarily the whole grape |
| Wine | Must be alcoholic |
| Wine | Must be pure |
| Wine | Must be mixed with a small quantity of water |
| Wine | Can be red or white |
| Wine | Can be weak or strong |
| Wine | Can be sweet or dry |
| Wine | Can be vintage or basic and cheap |
| Wine | Can be vin santo (holy wine) |
| Wine | Can be watered down |
| Wine | Must not be made from unripe grapes |
| Wine | Must not be mixed with too much water |
| Wine | Must not be changed into vinegar |
| Wine | Must not be putrid or corrupted |
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What You'll Learn
The type of wine used
The Catholic Church generally requires that sacramental wine, or altar wine, be pure grape wine. It is usually red wine, but it can also be white wine, and it does not have to be made from white grapes—it can be made from red grapes with the skins removed during fermentation. It can be weak or strong, sweet or dry, and it must be alcoholic, although in some circumstances, a wine that is only minimally fermented, called mustum, may be used. Mustum is made of grape juice and honey and is considered an unadulterated wine.
The wine must be mixed with a small amount of water, and it must be blessed by a priest to be considered altar wine. It must also be recently made so that there is no danger of spoiling. Over the centuries, various criteria have been laid down for wine to be appropriate for use in the Eucharist, and its use is forbidden if it has turned to vinegar, become putrid or corrupted, or was pressed from unripe grapes.
The wine does not have to be from a particular brand, and in Australia, most Catholic Communion wines come from vineyards owned by Catholic orders. In Italy, a very sweet wine called vin santo, or holy wine, is used.
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Bread and wine combinations
The bread and wine used in the Catholic Eucharist are rich in symbolism and history. The faithful bring forward the bread and wine during the offertory, which are then consecrated by the priest through prayer and offered to the congregation during Holy Communion.
The Catholic Church teaches that the bread used in the Eucharist must be made of wheat and recently made to prevent spoilage or corruption. This is in keeping with the belief that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, and so must be transformed into suitable matter. Unleavened bread is used in the Latin Rite, while the Eastern Churches use leavened bread.
The wine used in the Eucharist must be grape wine, and a small amount of water is usually mixed with it. The wine symbolises the blood of Christ, and so red wine is often used to better emphasise this transformation. However, the colour of the wine does not matter, and white wine is also permitted. The wine must be pure grape wine and alcoholic, although there may be circumstances where a minimally fermented wine called mustum is used.
The bread and wine together symbolise the unity of the body of Christ and his sacrifice. In the ancient world, bread and wine were basic foodstuffs, and so they also represent the goodness of the earth and God's provision of food, health, and well-being.
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Wine fermentation
The process of fermentation can occur in two ways: using the natural yeasts and bacteria present on the grapes or by inducing fermentation with the addition of cultured yeast. The use of different strains of yeast contributes to the diversity of wine, even among the same grape varieties. During fermentation, yeast needs access to a continuous supply of carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, and various vitamins and minerals.
In the mid-19th century, Louis Pasteur discovered the connection between yeast and the process of fermentation, in which yeast acts as a catalyst and mediator in a series of reactions that convert sugar into alcohol. This process was further explored in the early 20th century by Gustav Embden, Otto Fritz Meyerhof, and Jakub Karol Parnas, who discovered the Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas pathway, which contributed to a better understanding of the complex chemical processes involved in fermentation.
The temperature and speed of fermentation are important considerations, as is the level of oxygen present at the start of the process. Fermentation may occur in stainless steel tanks, wooden vats, wine barrels, or bottles, depending on the type of wine being produced. The duration of primary fermentation can range from 5 to 14 days, followed by a potential secondary fermentation lasting another 5 to 10 days.
During fermentation, phosphates attach to sugars, and six-carbon sugar molecules are split into three-carbon pieces, undergoing a series of rearrangement reactions. This process releases carbon dioxide and forms acetaldehyde, which is eventually converted into ethanol through reduction in the absence of oxygen. Yeast activity ceases when all sugars have been converted or when alcohol content reaches approximately 15%, at which point most yeast strains can no longer function. The by-products of yeast metabolism and sugar breakdown contribute to the flavour and aroma of the wine.
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Wine defects
Wine for use in the Eucharist, also known as sacramental wine, Communion wine, altar wine, or wine for consecration, must be made from grapes. It is usually consumed after sacramental bread. The Catholic Church generally requires that sacramental wine be pure grape wine and alcoholic. However, in certain circumstances, a minimally fermented wine called mustum may be used. Mustum is typically made from grape juice and honey and is considered permissible for the Eucharist.
Over the years, various criteria have been established for wine to be suitable for the Eucharist. The wine must be natural, unadulterated, and free from spoilage or sourness. It should not have turned to vinegar, nor should it contain any artificial additives such as preservatives or flavours. These requirements are outlined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which states that the "wine must be natural from the fruit of the vine and not spoiled."
While red wine is commonly used in Eastern Christianity to symbolize the blood of Jesus Christ, there is no mandate for its use in the Catholic Church. White wine, for example, can be made from red grapes with the skins removed during fermentation. Thus, the entire grape is not always necessary for making wine for the Eucharist.
It is worth noting that some Christian denominations, such as Methodist Churches, substitute grape juice for wine due to their disapproval of alcohol consumption.
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Wine alternatives
The Catholic Church traditionally uses wine made from grapes for the Eucharist, but there are some circumstances in which wine alternatives are used.
The use of wine in the Eucharist is symbolic, representing the blood of Jesus Christ. The wine must be made from grapes, but it does not have to be red wine, and the entire grape does not need to be used. For example, white wine, which is sometimes made from red grapes with the skins removed during fermentation, can be used.
The wine must also be mixed with a small amount of water. In some cases, a minimally fermented wine called "mustum", made from grape juice and honey, may be used. This is recognised by the Church as a permissible alternative for the Eucharist.
In some Christian churches, such as Methodist Churches, the consumption of alcohol is not allowed, and so grape juice is used as a substitute for wine during Holy Communion.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church generally adheres to the rule that all wine for sacramental use must be pure grape wine and alcoholic. However, there are some circumstances where it may be necessary to use a wine that is only minimally fermented, called mustum.
Mustum is a type of altar wine made of grape juice and honey. It is consumed before communion and is considered an unadulterated wine.
The wine used in the Catholic Eucharist can be either red or white. While the wine is usually red to better symbolise its change from wine into the blood of Jesus Christ, white wine is sometimes made from red grapes, with the skins removed during fermentation.
Altar wine is any wine used in communion and comes from grapes, with most wines from the heavy grape-producing countries of Italy and France. Wine is considered an altar wine after it has been blessed by a Catholic priest.
