Good day, Is non-mevushal wine to which sugar was added (such as Kedems Cream Rose) subject to the laws of maga akum? Or not, as sugar is like honey, and then Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Daiah 123:4 would apply? In terms of chumros, whats better to make kiddush on: 1. Non-mevushal, sugar-added wine 2. Mevushal, no sugar added wine Thank you and kol tuv, Yaacov Safier

Shalom U'vracha, It is true that wine with a lot of sugar added to it does not become forbidden due to "yayin nesech" (wine used for idolatry or wine touched by a 'nachri'). However, that is only where a great deal of sugar was added which changes the flavor of the wine--like you have in very sweet wines. Regular wine and grape juice, in which the flavor is not altered by sugar, is assur (forbidden) if touched by a nachri. . (see Shulchan Aruch ibid, and Sefer Hakashrut 19:45). As far as I am aware, Kedem grape juice is made from 100% grapes, with no sugar added. Mevushal wine also does not become assur if touched by a non-Jew. Nowadays, almost all wine and grape juice is pasteurized. Some say that pasteurized wine is considered mevushal (Igrot Moshe, Shevet Halevi Rav Ovadia Yosef, see Hakashrut 19:61). Others don't consider pasteurized wine to be in the category of mevushal ( Harav Aurbach, Harav Elyashiv, Harav Abba Shaul (Hakashrut ibid). Therefore, to answer your second question, which is preferable to use for kiddush, mevushal or sugar added wine? If you mean a little sugar added like is usually the case, then that is assur if touched by a non-Jew, and you should therefore choose the mevushal or pasteurized wine. All the best!