How to Cook with Wine

Cooking with wine isn’t just about adding a splash for dramatic effect – it’s a tried-and-tested way to bring depth, complexity, and richness to a dish. Whether it’s a hearty beef stew with a bold red or a delicate white wine sauce drizzled over fish, wine can elevate flavours in a way few other ingredients can. But how does it actually work? And which wines should you be using? Let’s dive into the world of cooking with wine.

Why do we use wine in cooking?

Wine has a way of bringing out the best in food. It enhances flavours, adds acidity to balance richness, and brings complexity to both sweet and savoury dishes. The alcohol in wine helps to break down fats and release flavour compounds, making it an excellent addition to marinades, sauces, and slow-cooked dishes. And while most of the alcohol burns off during cooking, the depth of flavour it imparts lingers beautifully.

Think of wine as an ingredient rather than just an add-on. A good wine used correctly can make all the difference – whether it’s giving a glossy finish to a sauce, tenderising meat, or adding a subtle fruitiness to a dessert.

Cooking with red wine

Red wine is best suited for rich, hearty dishes. With its bold tannins and deep fruit flavours, it pairs well with slow-cooked meats, tomato-based sauces, and earthy ingredients like mushrooms.

Best Uses: Braises, stews, red sauces, reductions, marinades

Best Wines: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Rioja, Syrah

Example Dishes: Coq au Vin, Beef Bourguignon, Red Wine Jus, Pasta Ragu

The key with red wine is to let it simmer long enough for the tannins to mellow and the flavours to blend into the dish rather than dominate it.

Cooking with white wine

White wine brings brightness, acidity, and a touch of sweetness to dishes. It’s perfect for light sauces, seafood, and creamy dishes where you want to add complexity without overpowering delicate flavours.

Best Uses: Cream sauces, seafood, risottos, white meat, deglazing

Best Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay (unoaked), Pinot Grigio, Vermentino

Example Dishes: White Wine Mussels, Chicken in White Wine Sauce, Risotto al Vino Bianco, Beurre Blanc

White wines with high acidity work best for cooking as they cut through richness and keep flavours fresh. Avoid heavily oaked wines, as they can add an unpleasant bitterness.

Methods for cooking with wine

1. WINE REDUCTION SAUCE

Reducing wine concentrates its flavours, creating rich and glossy sauces perfect for drizzling over meats, fish, or pasta. To make a reduction, simmer wine over low heat until it thickens and intensifies in flavour.

Example: A red wine reduction for steak or a white wine beurre blanc for fish.

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2. DEGLAZING

Deglazing lifts caramelised bits from the pan after searing meat or vegetables, creating the base for a flavour-packed sauce. Simply add wine to the hot pan, scrape up the browned bits, and let it reduce.

Example: Adding white wine to a pan after searing chicken to create a quick, delicious sauce.

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3. BAKING

Wine isn’t just for savoury dishes – it can be used in baking to add moisture, acidity, and flavour depth. It’s often found in poached fruits, cakes, and even pastry dough.

Example: Poached pears in red wine or a white wine-infused sponge cake.

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4. MARINADES

Wine makes an excellent marinade ingredient, breaking down proteins and infusing meat with flavour. Red wines add depth to beef and lamb, while white wines bring freshness to chicken and seafood.

Example: Lamb marinated in red wine, garlic, and rosemary or prawns marinated in white wine and citrus.

What happens to wine when cooked?

When wine is heated, the alcohol starts to evaporate, but not instantly. A dish simmered for a few minutes will retain some alcohol, while a slow-cooked stew over several hours will burn most of it off. More importantly, the wine’s characteristics – acidity, fruitiness, and tannins – become more concentrated, intensifying its impact on the dish.

Things to remember when cooking with wine

Tannins Matter: High-tannin reds can become bitter when reduced, so use them in long-cooked dishes rather than quick sauces.

Acidity Adds Balance: A crisp white wine will brighten up creamy dishes and seafood, while a bold red will cut through fatty meats.

Sweetness Stays: If a wine is sweet, it will remain sweet in the dish – great for desserts, but be careful in savoury recipes.

Flavours Concentrate: If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. A bad wine will only become more intense when reduced.

Using wine in cooking is all about balance – it enhances flavours, adds complexity, and brings out the best in your ingredients. A well-chosen wine can elevate a simple sauce, add richness to a slow-cooked dish, or brighten up seafood and creamy pastas. Whether you’re reducing, deglazing, marinating, or even baking, the right wine can take your cooking to another level. So next time you pour yourself a glass, set a little aside for the pan – you won’t regret it.