Tips to choose the best wine(s) for cooking

You might know which wine to buy to pour yourself a glass, but when it comes to cooking with wine, the same rules don’t apply. Cooking with wine is common in many cuisines across the world. Wine’s acidity helps break down tougher cuts of meats when used in the marinade, keeps it tender when cooking or braising it for long, and also lends a tenderness to delicate ingredients like steamed fish and poached veggies when cooking them using fast methods. It is also a favourite ingredient for many dessert recipes.

But, if not chosen correctly, your wine may end up making the dish too bitter or dry, there wasting a perfectly great glass you could’ve poured yourself.
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However, if you are thinking you need to break the bank to cook with wine, you are wrong. The answer lies in the careful selection, using the following tips and tricks in mind:Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
Avoid ‘cooking wines’
When shopping for a wine you want to cook with, it is best to avoid those stacked in the dressing and sauces aisle of the grocery store. Cooking wines are filled with sugar, salt, and preservatives that not only alter the taste of your dish but are also harmful to your health. Choose a wine that you would also drink, barring, of course, the top-of-the-class vintage wines from your prized collection.
Don’t swap red for white

If you are following a recipe that calls for red, don’t swap it with white, or vice versa. White wine is less tannic than red, which means it doesn’t suck moure, leaving the mouth feeling dry. It can also reduce more without leaving the dish tasting bitter. When it comes to red, if you’re not braising meat for long, it isn’t advised to let more than 50% of the wine reduce as it can make the dish bitter. rule of thumb, red wine is bolder than white wine which is best when used when you’re looking to add some light acidity.
One formula doesn’t apply to all
There’s no certain formula or set l of wines you can add to dishes. Choosing wine for a dish also requires understanding what you want the wine to bring to the dish. For instance, if you are making a sweet dish, opt for wines like Reisling, Sauternes, or Moscato which will add to the sweetness of the dish.

When cooking savoury dishes, pick a bottle of dry red wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay. When it comes to red, look for those with low tannins like Merlot, Chianti, and Pinot Noir.
Once you have opened a bottle, store it in the fridge and consume it within four days to prevent it from oxidising.

Put your wine knowledge and cooking skills to test with this traditional Coq Au Vin recipe.

If you are a seasoned home chef ready to sharpen your cooking skills, Jualia Child’s beef bourguignon recipe, which uses red wine, might just be the right step up for you.
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