Passover Wine

The Royal Beverage

For some of us, after the Four Questions comes the dreaded fifth . . . “Cabernet or Chardonnay?” We invited four special guests to gather around our Joy of Kosher table to share their recommendations for the four wines to serve on Seder night...

By Tamar Genger

Health & Allergies Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Wheat-Free

For each of the four cups at the Seder, it is preferable to use undiluted wine. However, if needed, the wine may be diluted with grape juice. (One who cannot drink wine may use grape juice alone.)

One drinks a cup of wine four times during the Seder:

At the conclusion of kiddush.
After telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt, before eating the matzah of Motzi Matzah.
At the conclusion of the Grace After Meals.
After reciting the Hallel.

It is preferable to drink the entire cup each time. However, it is sufficient to drink only the majority of each cup.

How large a cup should be used? One that contains at least 3½ fluid ounces.

By Tamar Genger

Tamar Genger is the founder and Executive Editor of joyofkosher.com, the world's first social network for Jewish cooking enthusiasts. Tamar is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Health Studies and lives in New York with her family.

Note: All processed foods used for kosher cooking must bear kosher certification, leafy greens and other veggies must be checked for infestations, and all cooking must be done on kosher utensils, with meat and dairy kept separate.

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33 Comments

Recarido Castillo San Jose City July 31, 2024

what is the alcohol content of the is undiluted wine used in passover seder? Reply

carol heffern March 22, 2014

SWEET CONCORD WINE we enjoy Mogen david concord grape under $10 a large bottle Reply

James MO March 27, 2013

I think I'm the cheapest guy here Manischewitz $4, those expensive wines are to dry for my taste anyway. Reply

Shaul Faulkner Long Beach, CA March 15, 2013

Shirah Wine Company If you are looking for an exciting wine then try anything from Shirah Wine Company. I love their wines and always recomend them to everyone. Try Power to the People (Sirah) and the new vintage of Coalition is excellent. If you like Big California wine then you have to try Shirah Reply

Anonymous Phx, AZ May 13, 2011

Gluten and sulfite free, organic wines Ruth Charnow,
Contact me: [email protected] for additional information and where to purchase Reply

Chaim Shmuckler Virginia Beach, VA April 24, 2011

Passover Wines For more than 30 years we have had the N.V. Baron Hertzog and various Israeli wines (Ben Ami, being the favorite). However, for the first time I added several bottles of Kesser varieties of Cabernet and everyone enjoyed them very much. Reply

Anonymous Jerusalem April 13, 2011

Passover Wines 1) I meant that there is no dry grape juice.

2) If the last comment related to my question, as the moderator thinks, then it does not answer my question. Reply

Ruth Charnow Cherry Hill, NJ April 13, 2011

Any gluten free wines organic or natural? For Passover-no sulfites please Reply

Anonymous April 11, 2011

Passover Wines What about a person who suffers from diabetes, and for whom, therefore, sweet wines (and inevitably sweet) grape juice is dangerous ...

At the same time, the alcohol in wine affects the influence of life-saving medication ...

And there seems to be no sweet grape juice. I have been informed by a winery employee that it is impossible.

On Shabbat, Melo Lugmav of dry wine gets by. One cup diluted 2/3 would also do. But 4 cups diluted = 1.33 cups. Reply

Anonymous Scottsdale April 8, 2011

Red wine Red wine for the four cups is what we learned in school, is that not the preferable way to go? Reply

Nosson Beijing April 7, 2011

For those who just like it lite If you just want it light and dry but not to fry just take the moscato all the way through :)
Sorry to all those experts Americans like moscato its almost like um ginger ale but tastes much better:) Reply

ruth housman marshfield hills, ma April 6, 2011

Fine Wine, Fine Bouquet! I read these fabulous descriptions and I am ready for the Vineyard! I can't drink too much wine because it makes me very sleepy, very fast, and so I take delicate sips, except for that Manischewitz which is almost too sweet for my palate. These sound, Divine. And Vine is within the word, Divine.

I was looking at the name Dahlias this morning. Since I got an email from, The Bulb Lady a place that clearly is about all things flowering. I suddenly saw, within the word, ALIYAH, as in making pilgrimages and settling in Israel.

Now that it is spring, I am getting heady with the wine of it!

All is redolent! A kind of fragrance in ascent.

These wines are making me very thirsty. I love how they are described, as if, one could taste, in the very words, that savoring. Reply

Mrs. Sara Esther Crispe April 5, 2011

EDITOR CLARIFICATION I am sorry for the confusion caused by the Editor's Note being put in the wrong place. The only wine which may not be used for one of the four cups is the POMEGRANATE DESSERT WINE because it is not made from grapes. All of the others are completely fine, as are ANY Kosher for Passover wines made from grapes. Reply

Yohanon Hollywood, FL April 5, 2011

Wines What I REALLY would like to know is which wines are "sweet" (but not typical syrupy i 'kiddish' wine) "semi-sweet" and "dry." My wife likes a sweet(er) wine; I prefer less sweet (Gobi Desert is about right).
Please H_E_L_P this wine ignoramus ,
TIA Reply

Grantman Atlanta, GA via jewishwestcobb.com April 4, 2011

2005 Galil Mountain Yiron Why is this wine kosher for Passover but can't be used for one of the four cups?

Can you explain for those of us not 'up to snuff' on the intricacies? Reply

C R February 28, 2021

ב"ה

Hello, is it necessary to only have red wine, or may we use Champagne and white wine or rose Champagne or rosé?

Thanking you! Reply

Rabbi Mendel Adelman March 1, 2021

in response to C R:

One should use red wine if possible. The Alter Rebbe writes (472:26)

It is a mitzvah to seek out red wine [for the four cups] if the white [wine available] is not more esteemed than it, as [can be derived from] the verse,109 “Do not look at the wine when it is red,” from which it appears that wine is superior when red. True, with regard to Kiddush on other festivals and Shabbos, it is customary to follow the view of the authorities who maintain that there is no need to seek out red wine if it is not superior to white [wine], as stated in sec. 272[:4]. Nevertheless, for the four cups [of wine for the Seder], one should follow [the directive of] the authority who maintains that it is necessary to seek out [red wine],110 because it recalls the blood [shed by] Pharaoh, [who ordered] the slaughter of Jewish children."

See here Reply

C R France March 2, 2021

in response to Rabbi Mendel Adelman:

Thank you most kindly
We are celebrating in France, so BH good kosher red wine is abundant and easy to order.
We are grateful for you response,
Chag Sameach Reply

Anonymous March 17, 2020

what is the bracha on the first cup of wine Reply

Rabbi Mendel Adelman March 18, 2020

in response to Anonymous:

The blessing can be found on page 18 here Reply

john R obrien w April 19, 2019

do you take pass over on the first night and then again on the second night if you live out side of israel Reply

Chabad.org Staff April 22, 2019

in response to john R obrien:

Yes, outside of Israel we observe two Seder nights. Reply

David Heller Halevi Rochester NY April 17, 2017

I am very glad grape juice is acceptable I cannot drink wine as I am very sensitive to the Histamine and Tryamine in fermented wine as migraine triggers. I plan on attending a Chabad Passover for the first time next year. I am also a direct paternal descendant of Yom Tov Lippman Heller. Reply

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