Bava Batra 97a
בבא בתרא צ״ז א — ד"ה אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה אָמַר
Bava Batra 97a:12
Discusses what qualifies as wine for various halakhic purposes, including the status of wine that has been diluted or altered.
אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה אָמַר רַב: אֵין אוֹמְרִים קִידּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם, אֶלָּא עַל הַיַּיִן הָרָאוּי לִינָּסֵךְ עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. לְמַעוֹטֵי מַאי? אִילֵּימָא לְמַעוֹטֵי יַיִן מִגִּתּוֹ, וְהָא תָּאנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא: יַיִן מִגִּתּוֹ לֹא יָבִיא, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר; וְכֵיוָן דְּאִם הֵבִיא כָּשֵׁר, אֲנַן אֲפִילּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה נָמֵי!
§ Rav Zutra bar Toviyya says that Rav says: One may recite the sanctification of the Shabbat day only over wine of a quality that is fit to be poured as a libation upon the altar. The Gemara asks: This statement is said to exclude what? If we say it is to exclude the use of wine fresh from one’s press, i.e., grape juice, which has not yet fermented, that is difficult. But didn’t Rabbi Ḥiyya teach: One may not bring wine fresh from his press as a libation ab initio, but if one brought it as a libation, it is valid after the fact. And since if one brought it as a libation it is valid after the fact, we should also be able to use it for the sanctification of the Shabbat day, even ab initio.
