As Pesach approaches, we begin to focus on the specifics of the seder – mostly, our Haggados, our Matzos and our wine.  This sugya discusses all the different types of wine and which are preferable.

The Gemara in Maseches Bava Bassra teaches that wine used for Kiddush (and for the seder) should be of a type that is worthy of being poured on the Mizbe’ach. The Torah describes the wine on the Mizbaech as “nesech sheichar” which means that the wine has alcoholic content. Does this mean that grape juice would not be permitted for kiddush?

We begin with a brief introduction on how wine is produced, followed by a separate section discussing each type of wine – grape juice (pasteurized and non-pasteurized), white wine, sweetened wine, and mevushal wine.