Otzar beit din wine sold after bi'ur time
Question
Jerusalem Vineyard Winery is selling otzar beit din wine grown in Shiloh – Eish Kodesh. Since the bi'ur time for wine has already passed, what is the wine's status vis-à-vis bi'ur laws? are we supposed to do bi'ur on the wine when we buy it? It is exempt from bi'ur?
Answer
Wine that was in the possession of the otzar beit din during bi'ur time (Pesach 5776, next is 5783) is exempt from bi'ur. However, if privately owned, it is subject to bi'ur. If the otzar beit din owned the wine during bi'ur time (Pesach 5776) and is now selling the wine, you can buy the wine and it is not obligated in bi'ur. The wine has kedushat shevi'it.
If a particular store is selling the wine and you are not sure how (as agents of the beit din, which exempts them from bi'ur; or if the store purchased the wine before bi'ur time and is now selling it, in which case it was already obligated in bi'ur), it is possible that the wine is forbidden to use since the bi'ur obligation passed and they were not declared ownerless.
However, if you already have this wine in you permission, and you do not know if the mitzvah of bi'ur was performed, it is possible to rely on the opinions that the matter is considered oness (when someone cannot perform a mitzvah due to circumstances beyond his control). If this is the case, you should now declare the wine ownerless in the presence of three people. After this you may take back the wine and drink it.