But church figures have warned lower-strength alcohol keeps for less time than fortified wine, which may mean churches have to replace their bottles more frequently.

“Communion wine needs to be fortified because it needs to keep,” Marcus Walker, of St Bartholemew the Great church in London, told The Telegraph. 

‘This could seriously increase the cost of communion’

“You rarely use more than about a fifth of a bottle – and it would be a terrible waste to use a new bottle each week.

“This could seriously increase the cost of communion for parishes that are barely keeping their heads above water after the pandemic.”

Miles Beale, the chief executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, said: “Fortified wines like port and sherry, and indeed communion wines, can be kept longer. This change definitely affects communion wine as it is currently made.

“If churches carry on doing the same thing, they are definitely going to be paying more for their wine, which seems pretty damn unfair.”

The Government’s Alcohol Duty Review means stronger drinks are now taxed more heavily, with wine drinkers paying 26p per unit on their drinks. Beer has a per-unit cost of 19p.