If one were to hear personal bad news (chas v’shalom) – would one be able to say HaGofen on grape juice and then bring in wine in order to say HaTov v’HaMaitiv and be mechaven for the news that one heard.
Answer:
I don’t fully understand the question.
If a person hears bad news, the berachah to make is dayan ha-emes, and not ha-tov veha-meitiv. The blessing of ha-tov veha-meitiv is made on good news, and not on bad news.
In general, the sefer Vezos Haberachah mentions opinions that write that one does not make ha-tov veha-meitiv when drinking wine after grape juice, but the berachah can be made upon bringing a superior wine after drinking an inferior wine.
A slight problem with the idea you mention is that when a person intends to partake of two kinds of wine, he should recite the hagafen on the superior wine (the same applies for wine and grape juice).
