Communion wine

[TerfTerfTerf]

Hi, new poster on this board.

I wonder if anyone can answer a question I have: is there a standard or required wine/supplier or any other 'legal' stipulations for the wine used for communion in Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in the UK?

This has come out of a conversation I've been having with my boss, an Eastern Coptic, and the wine they traditionally use. Wine was my previous career and is a huge hobby so I'm really interested. Thank you!

There is no one supplier. Communion wine has to be made from grapes and is usually fortified as in small churches it goes off if one bottle is kept for a couple of months. When I used to do cover in rural churches I would take a bottle of sherry, a large print book of common prayer and matches as you never knew what you would find, or not find, in the vestry. There are some fair trade suppliers of communion wine but it isn't cheap. More often than not I find I'm consecrating fortified English wine that my church warden has obtained on a 6 bottles and get 20% off from the local supermarket.

Yes, I believe there are rules as to the wine used. I'll see if I can find out.

Found it;

The wine that is used in the most sacred celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other substances.
‘Great care should be taken so that the wine intended for the celebration of the Eucharist is well conserved and has not soured.’

That is from the Congregation for Divine Worship & discipline of the sacraments.

Thank you both very much 👍

@mostlydrinkstea. Aldi was a particular favourite of a churchwarden I knew, uproar occurred when they didn't have stock and had to resort to an alternative (and different tasting) brand. I also know a church that only use tawny port. Then there's the stuff that gets delivered with the candles from Charles Farris. Makes me chuckle just thinking about it.

Rather nice sherry in my London church (Catholic with a wine loving priest )

Well I never knew it was actual wine, I thought it was water.

The communion wine is the reason first holy communion is so popular amongst young children. It was certainly a deal breaker for mine.

If you attend a Methodist church though it's usually red grape juice or non-alcoholic wine!

In the Catholic Church it has to be made from grapes and nothing else, no additives, as Toddlerteaplease says. For this reason, although a lot of parishes do it, they really shouldn't be getting wine from a supermarket or other non-church supplier as there's usually no list of ingredients. A specialist church supplier will be much more expensive but will guarantee that it is pure fermented grape juice with no additives. In some other countries with a higher Catholic population it's different as the general wine merchants are more aware of this and will make sure their ingredients are listed.

Sanctifex medium is delicious! And I don't like red wine usually. Nothing worse than receiving a chalice that tastes awful. Especially if you've taken a big sip!

I think ours is a particular communion wine and is supplied by Tesco!

As we are having agapé meals at the moment, I have been using Marsala wine, slightly diluted.

I think we get port. Nice colour, and doesn't go off.