May One Use White Wine for Kiddush?

Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 272:4) writes that although the Ramban held that one may not use white wine for Kiddush, the common minhag is to permit. The Mishnah Berurah (272:10) writes that lechatchila (ideally) it is best to use red wine for Kiddush, but if red wine is not available, or if the white wine is better quality, then one may use white wine. For the four cups of wine at the Seder, one should specifically try to use red wine in memory of the Jewish blood that was spilled in Egypt (see Mishnah Berurah 472:38).

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.