Section — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
§ 2. On The Valid And Licit Matter Of Wine
172. 1. Valid matter of wine. For validly consecrating wine, it is altogether required that it be uncorrupted wine from the vine, whether white, red, or mixed from both, that is, liquid expressed from mature grapes of the vine.
Therefore, every other liquid is invalid matter, for example, beer; distilled wine, such as Cognac; artificial wine; wine made from apples and other fruits; and so forth. The following are also invalid matter: a) grapes, because they are not a drink; b) wine made into vinegar or corrupted in another manner, for example, by the infusion of a great quantity of water; c) wine from which all alcohol has been removed by art,42 because alcohol appears to pertain to the essence of natural wine.
On May 7, 1879, the Holy Office, to the question, "Whether it is lawful to celebrate with wine made from raisins or dried grapes?"43 replied: "It is lawful, provided that the liquid is recognized from its color and taste to be true wine." Missionaries, therefore, living in regions where fresh grapes cannot be had and wine cannot easily be brought from distant regions can readily procure for themselves wine from these dried grapes, provided, however, that they wait for the fermentation of the must.
42 German: Alkoholfreier Wein (alcohol-free wine).
43 German: Rosinen; French: raisins secs; Italian: zibibbo (Collectan. de Prop. Fide, n. 1518). The following method can be used: Upon a quantity of dried grapes is poured the same or a slightly greater quantity of pure water. The grapes, absorbing the water, swell; after one day they are pressed. The juice thus obtained is must, which begins to ferment shortly afterward, and after some time true and pure wine is obtained.
173. 2. Licit matter of wine. For licitly consecrating wine, it is required that the wine be:
a) Fermented.
Therefore, must, or juice recently expressed from mature grapes, is indeed valid matter but illicit, because it does not appear to be perfect wine and has various non-consecrable substances mixed with it. Liquid expressed from unripe grapes (agresto, verjus) is not valid matter because it is not yet wine.44
b) Pure.
Therefore, it is illicit to employ wine which is cloudy, or to which aromatics, colors, or sugar have been added. The Holy Office permitted, on July 30, 1890, that wine spirit45 be mixed with weak wine, provided, however, that: 1. this spirit is extracted from the fruit of the vine, not from apples or sugar; 2. the entire quantity of spirit now contained in the wine thus mixed does not exceed 12 percent; 3. the admixture is made while the wine is still very recent, so that one substance can be produced from the wine and spirit through fermentation. Indeed, the same Holy Office on August 5, 1896, permitted that the alcoholic spirit could be increased up to 17-18 percent if this is necessary for preserving very generous and extraordinarily sweet wines.46
c) Not yet turning sour nor frozen.
For wine turning sour is not indeed totally corrupted, but it is already beginning to be corrupted. Frozen wine is doubtful matter for consecration; therefore, it must first be liquefied before it can licitly be consecrated or, after consecration, before it can licitly be consumed.47
d) A small quantity of natural water is to be mixed with the wine to be consecrated.
Thus it is required by a grave precept of the Church.48 The reasons for which the Church has prescribed the admixture of water are: 1. the example of Christ, who is believed to have consecrated with wine mixed with water; 2. the signification both of the Blood and water flowing from the side of the dead Christ and of the union between Christ and the faithful. For Christ, who is God, is signified by the wine, while the faithful, who are creatures, are signified by the water. All theologians teach that this precept is so grave that in no case can a priest consecrate wine without the admixture of water; and if a priest has forgotten to pour water into the wine, he must supply this defect before the consecration, but not afterward.
The water to be mixed must be natural and potable, even if it is acidulous, alkaline, or carbonated.49
The quantity of water to be mixed must be very small, because according to the more probable opinion this water must be converted into wine and thus consecrated into the Blood of Christ.50 This would be impossible if a notable quantity of water were mixed with the wine. Therefore, let the priest take care not to mix more than a few drops, from 3 to 10, with the wine. In some regions water is poured in with the aid of a small spoon, lest the quantity of water be excessive. Such a usage can be tolerated.51 But if the quantity of added water equaled one third of the wine to be consecrated, the matter would be very doubtful and it would not be lawful to consecrate it. Hence, some portion of wine would then have to be added.
According to the Latin rite, the water is to be mixed with the wine when the priest is already at the altar; therefore, it would not be lawful to pour water into the wine in the sacristy, and still less in the cellar. According to the Eastern rite, however, water is poured into the wine at the beginning of the liturgy and then again, immediately before Communion, water which is hot. This ceremony, approved by Benedict XIV,52 signifies that the divinity did not depart from Christ's dead Body while Blood and water flowed from His side.
44 Cf. Roman Missal, De defect. Miss., tit. 4, n. 2; St. Thomas, S. theol. 3, q. 74, a. 5 ad 3.
45 German: Weingeist (wine spirit).
46 Cf. Denz., nn. 1937 sqq.
47 Cf. St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 207, q. 2; Billuart, De euch., diss. 3, a. 1.
48 Cf. Council of Trent, sess. 22, c. 7 and can. 9 on the sacrifice of the Mass (Denz., nn. 945 and 956); Code of Canon Law, c. 814.
49 German: Natürliches Mineralwasser (natural mineral water). Holy Office, August 11, 1904 (Analect. eccl. XII [1904], 370).
50 Cf. S. theol. 3, q. 74, a. 8, and Roman Catechism, p. 2, c. 4, q. 16.
51 Sacred Congregation of Rites, February 6, 1858 (Decr. auth., n. 3064 ad 4).
52 Constitution Etsi pastoralis, § 6, n. 2.