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Complete Guide to Choosing the Best White Wine for Cooking

Food & Recipes, Blog

White wine for cooking
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You can make your meals sing when you cook with wine….

… no matter if you’re a seasoned home chef or just starting out.

With that in mind….

We’ve created a guide to help you select the best white wine for cooking…

…including the dos and don’ts of selecting a bottle. 

Additionally, you’ll learn what types of white wines…

…are best for different types of dishes. Let’s get started.

First, let’s hear Ann’s story…

For dishes that call for ‘dry’ white wines within the recipe, look for wines (both white and red) that are known to have crisp acidity and moderate alcohol. He recommends avoiding richer, full-bodied wines and oak-aged wines (e.g., oaked Chardonnay) because they have a tendency to overpower the food.

Devon Broglie , global beverage buyer at Whole Foods Market,

Let’s talk about this first….


Are All Wines Suitable for Cooking?

White wine for cooking
Credit: decantor.com

The answer to that question is technically yes…

However, in reality, not so much. In other words…

….cooking wine means two different things. 

As long as you add wine to your cooking in order to enhance your food…

…whether it be white wine, red wine, or rosé wine…

…then it can be considered cooking wine.

 Adding these to your recipes can be a great addition….

On the other hand, there are wines that are specifically labeled as “cooking wines.”…

While these products contain alcohol, they are not meant for drinking….

These are typically made with a lot of salt and preservatives to…

..improve their shelf life. This is not the type of cooking wine you should use….

The old real estate mantra “location, location, location” isn’t just relevant to real estate…

If you’re looking for wine in the grocery store to use in your next recipe…

…pay attention to where it’s located. If it’s on the shelf next to salad dressings…

….and white wine vinegar, rather than next to other wines..

…it’s a “cooking wine” that you should avoid. 


The Do’s and Don’ts of White Wine for Cooking

You can always drink a bottle of white Two-Buck Chuck…

…but we’d like to encourage you to treat yourself – and your food…

…to something a little more elevated than bottom-of-the-barrel cheap drinks. 

However, you don’t have to break the bank to do it…

The cost of a good bottle of white wine for cooking is in the $10-$20 range….

…and usually less than $15. Choosing a wine that you enjoy on its own…

…is a good rule of thumb. So if a recipe calls for a small amount of wine…

…(most recipes call for one cup or less), you can enjoy sipping it…

….while you cook as well as with your meal.

Here’s a quick checklist of what to do (and not do) when cooking with wine:

  • Use a dry wine with high acidity and bright citrus notes: Unless you’re making dessert, don’t use sweet wines. (They’ll only intensify the sweet factor.) A crisp white wine with light fruit flavors, particularly citrus, will enhance savory dishes.
  • Stick to low-alcohol white wines (under 12.5% ABV) if you want to avoid overwhelming your dish with an alcoholic taste.
  • Avoid oaky whites: You want to avoid bold, buttery, oaky wines (think oaked Chardonnays) since they can overpower the dish and make it bitter.
  • If you’re going to cook with white wine, don’t opt for an expensive bottle. In addition to burning off much of the alcohol, the heat also destroys any nuances that a fancier wine might have. You should save your money for bottles you intend to sip and savor on their own.

Here we go…


Best White Wines for Cooking

White wines are perfect for cooking lighter dishes such as poultry…

…pork, seafood, and vegetables. Listed below are some specific types…

…of white wine and the dishes they pair best with. 


Sauvignon Blanc

First white wine for cooking is Sauvignon blanc…

You can’t go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc…

…when it comes to cooking with white wine.

Its pronounced acidity and herbal flavors…

…are sure to add depth and zest to everything…

…from delicious Italian risotto to steamed mussels with garlic toast.

Whitw wine for cooking
Credit: airpointsroe.co.nz

Pinot Grigio

Thw next white wine for cooking is Pinot Noir…

Known for its crisp and refreshing flavor…

…this white counterpart to Pinot Noir pairs well with a wide range of dishes.

You can use it to brighten up veggie-centric meals…

…such as vegan cauliflower scampi in lemon garlic white…

…wine sauce or light pasta dishes.

White wine for cooking
Credit: fontana.be

Chardonnay

The next white wine for cooking is Chardonnay…

As mentioned, if you’re buying Chardonnay…

…go for unoaked types that will cook down smoothly…

…without becoming too bitter. The non-oaky version will temper acidity…

…and enhance the rich flavors of cream sauces…

….such as this tarragon chicken with Chardonnay cream sauce.

White wine for cooking
Credit: onlinegroceryoutlet.com

Dry Vermouth

The last best white wine for cooking is Dry Vermouth…

There are always exceptions to the rule when it comes to…

…cooking with high-alcohol wines like fortified wines.

White dry vermouth is a good example. This aromatic…

…slightly bitter option goes great with light proteins like shellfish…

chicken, and roasted pork loin with elephant garlic. 

Due to that fortification, Vermouth stays fresh for a long time!

White wine for cooking
Credit: pinterest.com

Last one…


Dry Riesling

Next one in white wine for cooking is Dry Riesling…

If you’re planning to cook with a Riesling…

…you may want to consider a dry option instead.

Several of the most well-known varieties are late harvests…

…(meaning the grapes were picked later and are therefore sweeter).

Acidity adds a zesty counterpoint to creamy chicken…

…and won’t overpower seafood dishes.

If you are looking for other options of best white wine for cooking

…we have some recommendations.

Let’s move on…


White Wine For Cooking

White wine for cooking
Credit: reference.com

Cooking with wine can be just as enjoyable as drinking it straight…

Despite the fact that not every “cooking wine” is the same, a dry…

…crisp white wine brings an extra level of taste and elegance to an everyday dish. 

There are plenty of white wines for you to enjoy in the kitchen…

…from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio to Riesling and sparkling wines.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to start cooking….


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Tips for Cooking with White Wine

You can reduce the wine in cream sauces by half after cooking it separately…

The cream should then be added after the sauce has been reduced…

A half cup to a cup and a half of wine is usually called for in most recipes…

To deglaze the pan after sautéing vegetables…

…splash a few tablespoons of wine into it.

To steam or poach shellfish (mussels, clams, oysters), add wine to the broth…

Add a few tablespoons of wine to marinades to help tenderize the meat…

…and caramelize it during cooking.

The longer you cook the wine, the less alcohol will remain in the dish…

…Alcohol can be completely removed from food after simmering for two

…and a half hours. Drinkable white wine can be kept refrigerated…

…for up to a week and can be used in cooking for up to two weeks

Here more tips for you…

Celine Beitchman, director of nutrition at the Institute of Culinary Education…

…recommends a light- to medium-bodied white wine for cooking.

“Unless you’re making a sweet dish, go for a low-alcohol wine…

…with some acidity and a hint of fruit.”

Her two suggestions? Pinot grigio from Italy or sauvignon blanc…

…from just about anywhere except for Australia or New Zealand…

…with their tropical fruit flavors. A citrusy dish with a lot of bright acidity…

…will liven things up. If you are going for a sweet dish, try a Riesling…

…recommends Carlos Calderon, brand chef at North Italia.

To balance out the sweetness, try a dry Chardonnay…

…just make sure it’s unoaked. Pick a wine with low to moderate alcohol…

The presence of wine in a recipe is usually used to replace an acid…

…adding a subtle flavor. A booze bomb will make everything taste like alcohol….

Think: What grows together goes together…

Learn about where the wine comes from…

…and what foods grow in the region it comes from.

No matter if you’re eating and drinking them or preparing them together…

…those flavors go together naturally.”

Don’t cook with anything you wouldn’t drink…

Broglie recommends purchasing the wines in the wine department…

…of a grocery store or liquor store rather than from the regular grocery aisle…

…because cooking wine usually has a lot of added salt.

That doesn’t mean you have to spend 100 dollars…

…on a bottle just for your braised chicken.


What If I Don’t Want to Use Alcohol?

In addition to alcohol-free options

…there are also a number of options that still lend flavor to your food.

Verjus, the juice pressed from unripened grapes…

…is something that almost resembles wine.

A good chicken or vegetable stock, enhanced with a dash of lemon or vinegar…

…is a great alternative that you probably already have on hand.


Sum Up

You can add delicious flavor to your meals when you cook with white wine…

Who doesn’t love seafood pasta in a white wine sauce…

…or a generous helping of creamy risotto?

White wine may be irritatingly vague in recipes that call for it..

A wide variety of white wines are available…

Would it not be better if we had a little more guidance…

…on how we should go about choosing?


Conclusion

There are so many white wine for cooking options you can choose..

Which white wine for cooking do you think is the best?

Share your experience with white wine for cooking with us…

…or if you have more questions about white wine for cooking..

…feel free to leave a comment!


https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/how-to-store-cooking-wines-2021/
https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/why-cook-with-white-wine-2021/
https://milkwoodrestaurant.com/guide-to-food-mill-substitutes/

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