Answer: The Gemara (Bava Basra 97b) teaches that
one cannot use white wine as only red wine is considered to be proper wine.
There is a machlokes among the rishonim however, as to what this
applies to. According to Ramban, this includes both wine which is poured over
the mizbeiach as well as wine used for kiddush. Rashbam maintains, however, that it only
refers to the wine on the mizbeiach, and there would be no issue in using
white wine for kiddush (See Nimukei Yosef).
The Shulchan
Aruch (OC 272:4) quotes the Ramban and writes that while he doesn’t allow using
white wine for kiddush¸ one may for havdala. Nonetheless, he writes
that the minhag is to allow using white wine even for kiddush.
R’ Akiva Eiger
(OC 272:4) writes that as one may use chamar medina, national beverages,
for the daytime kiddush (See Shulchan Aruch OC 272:9), even the
Ramban would agree that one could use such wines then (See Biur Hagra OC
272:4). Following this, the
Mishnah Berura (272:10) writes that while all agree that it is preferable to
use red wine for kiddush, one may use white wine lechatchila,
particularly if it is better quality.
Regardless, R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos
Kehilchasa 47:n89) writes that if one added a little red wine to white wine, it
would be considered red.
In conclusion, it is preferable to use red wine for Friday
night kiddush when one has a choice, unless the white wine is superior
to the red wine.
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