Once upon a wine, in the Catholic Church
In High Antiquity, wine and religion have always been closely related: Judaic religion used it as an object of sacrifice and sacrament, while Islam, considers wine as a forbidden and repulsive product in the same time as a supreme reward for muslims once in Paradise. But no monotheist religion has ever attached so much sacred value to wine than the Catholic religion. This would come from an old Church tradition supposed to be started with Christ, starting his public life with a dreadful binge… Anyway, since then, even in the American churches, wine would never be replaced by Coca-Cola.
So what can we find in a chalice?
(and who can take advantage of it)
- Grape juice was once allowed for priests who had had detoxification cure. But the Catholic Church forsweared it only nine years after it had allowed it, in 1983.
- Today, no juice, only wine. And this wine has to be fully natural. It must be fermented without added sugar, flavors, presevatives, or anything that would not be allowed by the law. And it must not have soured or become vinegar. A definition which actually represents all that makes an organic wine! Characteristic than some suppliers and winemakers have to attest on under oath. Church doesn’t mess about wine quality.
- The only thing which is generally added to the wine is water… but preferably just a tiny dose!
- Therefore, priests are more willing to choose red robust wines like Madiran and Cahors (French wines from south-west region of France, close to Bordeaux), which better bear the dilution with water.
Madiran and Cahors are two appellations that have gained success in the Catholic industry not only in France, but they also encountered fans as far as Russia. A fact due to the localization of these regions: Cahors and Madiran were lucky enough to have good soils for vines growing, and they happened to be crossed by pilgrims, crossing these regions on their way to Compostelle. The word spread, and the orthodox church then adopted them for its communions. The practice is still used nowadays...
- We easily understand that for centuries, by analogy to the blood of Christ, altar wine was red, and it still is in Eastern Christianity sacraments.
But in Western Christianity, strange as it may seem, mass is being celebrated with white wine. The reason of this is the practical purpose of avoiding stains on the altar cloths. Moreover, preferences go to mellow and sweet wines. Priests celebrating the mass on an empty stomach accept more willingly smooth and sweet taste than a mineral wine with high acidity…
To finish, it is said that Cardianal de Bernis, ambassador of Louis XV nearby the Pope, always demanded that his mass wine would be a good Meursault (great Burgundy wine). To justified this demand, he declared that he didn’t want the Creator to see him pulling a face while eucharist celebrating.
So be aware dear readers, during this long economic crisis period we are going through, please consider there might be some unexpected jobs to find and mass wine marketing might be one of them!