The Process
31. Wine. A sulfur-based preservative called sodium bisulfite [E222] is commonly added in the production of wine and grape juice to kill bacteria and prevent fermentation. Sometimes it is added to wine during fermentation to stop the process when the wine reaches the desired alcohol level. It is also added to wine at the end of production, before bottling, to protect it from oxidation in the bottle.
32. Grape juice. With grape juice, the cooking or pasteurization at the beginning of production is usually enough to stop fermentation. Thus, there is no need to add sodium bisulfite. However, in commercial production, when millions of bottles of juice are made annually, they keep the juice in massive stainless steel vats, and to preserve the juice’s freshness, they add a certain amount of bisulfite. Then, before bottling, the juice is boiled to minimize the quantity of bisulfite. The poskim discuss the halacha of wine containing preservatives.
Concerns
33. Some are concerned that since fermentation was stopped in the wine or grape juice before it otherwise would have, it is not called wine and cannot be used for Kiddush (הגריש''א, שבות יצחק פסח פי''א ס''ג). However, some point out that this chumra only applied to the preservatives called “sorbates” that were used many years ago and permanently stopped fermentation. Bisulfites, in contrast, can be removed, so the cessation of fermentation is temporary, not permanent; that being the case, there is no concern (ק ו' דיני היין פט''ו).
34. However, most poskim do not see any concern whatsoever. The juice was called “wine” right after squeezing, before preservatives were added. That title of “wine” is not lost when preservatives are later added (מנחת שלמה ח''א סי' ד', שו''ת שבט הלוי ח''ט סי' נ''ח). Furthermore, it is a temporary state; when the bisulfite is removed, the wine can once again ferment (above, 33). The halachic issue of דיחוי does not apply, as that is only for mitzva objects, e.g., shofar, lulav, sukkah, or the like, not wine, which itself is not a mitzva object (מרן פוסק הדור בתשובות והנהגות ח''ו סי' ע''ה).
35. Concern for ruined taste. Some are concerned that the introduction of bisulfite might harm the flavor of the wine or weaken its strength or authenticity even after it is removed (תשובות והנהגות ח''ב סי' רמ''ג, ח''ג סי' רס''ב, ח''ה סי' ק''מ, ח''ו סי' ע''ה).
36. However, expert wine tasters testify they cannot detect the taste of the bisulfite whatsoever, as the amount left in is minuscule. Thus, if even the experts cannot detect any adverse flavor, there is no concern whatsoever and it may be used for Kiddush l’chatchila.
