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The San Diego Union-Tribune

No need to be a wine expert to cook with it


August 31, 2005

When people who generally don't drink wine choose a recipe that calls for it, the recommendations might be puzzling. A dry white? A full-bodied red?

Wine shop staff can help with your choices. Otherwise, the novice cook may benefit from the following guidelines.

Dry whites and reds

Dry white wines are not sweet. Some dry whites are chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris. Dry white wines are good for fish, chicken and cream sauces.

Dry red wines include cabernet sauvignon, merlot or pinot noir. Red wines are heavier and more strongly flavored than white wines, and they go best with heavier, more strongly flavored foods. For a long-cooked casserole of lamb shanks or a beef stew, use a robust red wine such as zinfandel or syrah. Less hearty dishes can take a less powerful red, such as a merlot or a chianti.

Other classifications

"The Wine Lover Cooks With Wine" by Sid Goldstein classifies wines as follows:

Light, fruity white wines are riesling, gewurztraminer, muscat, chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc/fume blanc and pinot gris.

Medium-to full-bodied white wines are chardonnay, viognier or marsanne.

For light-to medium-bodied red wine, use beaujolais, tempranillo, pinot noir or sangiovese.

For medium-to full-bodied reds, use zinfandel, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, nebbiolo or syrah/shiraz.

Fortified wines

Port, sherry, madeira and marsala are good to cook with. These wines are fortified, which means they have more alcohol than regular wines, and intense flavors. Once opened, they last six months to a year. Use the dry ones for savory dishes and sweet ones for desserts.

Port is especially good in meat-based casseroles. Sherry's roasted, nutty flavors can enhance soups, stews or sauteed dishes. Madeira goes well with poultry or beef, and marsala and chicken are a good combination.

Vermouth differs in that assorted herbs and spices have been steeped in the wine, giving it a unique flavor. A dry vermouth would be good in place of a white wine. A sweet vermouth would be a great addition to a fruit dessert that has a hint of herbs.


Once it is opened, keep leftover wine corked tightly and place it in a cupboard or pantry. Most wines will keep like this for only a few days. After that, the wine absorbs oxygen and begins to turn sour.

Other tips

If you are serving wine, you can always buy an extra bottle and use it in the dish. Most sources suggest cooking with the same wine you will be serving.

Do not use aluminum, copper or cast-iron pots when cooking with wine or the food will have an off taste; stick with nonreactive cookware such as enamel or stainless steel.

Do not use wines labeled "cooking wine," as they are typically salty and include other additives that may adversely affect the taste of your food.

U.S. Department of Agriculture research has shown that 85 percent of the alcohol remains after wine is added to a boiling liquid and then removed from the heat. The longer a dish is cooked, however, the less alcohol remains. If a food is baked or simmered 15 minutes, 40 percent of the alcohol will remain; after one hour, only 25 percent remains; after 21/2 hours, just 5 percent.

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© Copyright 2005 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.