• Nationwide
  • Toronto
  • Vancouver
  • Calgary
  • Montreal
  • Los Angeles
  • Chicago
  • NYC
Eligible Magazine
  • Dating
    • Editor’s Dating Notes
    • Better Dating Ideas
    • “The Bachelor” Advice
    • Guy Talk
    • Girl Talk
  • Relationships
  • Sex
  • Events
  • Fashion
    • Men’s Style
    • Women’s Style
  • Lifestyle
    • Gossip
    • Wine & Dine
    • Luxurious Living
    • Entertainment
    • Destinations
  • Wellness
    • Men’s Fitness
    • Women’s Fitness
    • Get Inspired
    • Doctor’s Orders
    • A Better YOU
    • Beauty
  • Bachelor & Bachelorette
  • Cities
    • Nationwide
    • Toronto
    • Vancouver
    • Calgary
    • Montreal
    • Los Angeles
    • Chicago
    • NYC
Cooking with wine
Wine & Dine 1

The Joy Of Cooking With Wine

By Benjamin North Spencer @wordsnwine · On July 21, 2015

Most of us know the benefits of drinking a good glass of wine, but cooking with wine can add another layer of pleasure to your wine experience. Throughout history, professional chefs and home cooks have turned to wine to enhance the food we enjoy. Knowing a few tricks and having a little willingness to experiment is all it takes.

cooking with wineWine can be applied to food preparation in myriad ways: in marinades; as a poaching liquid; to enhance sauces; as a meat tenderizer; in desserts; and of course as a beverage pairing for the food we eat.

While each preparation and individual wines add different qualities to the finished meal, in most cases a wine is chosen because it compliments or enhances the flavors of the ingredients in the dish – umami, fruit, spice, herbs, acid, sweetness, etc.

In cooking with wine (ie using heat to extract and combine flavors) the wine’s flavors are concentrated as the liquid and the alcohol evaporate. Though there are wines that are sold as “cooking wine” I do not use these “products” for any recipe, ever, under any circumstances. They are often poorly made bulk wines blended with other “proprietary ingredients.”

foto2The wines I prefer to cook with are the same wines I know and drink. If I can’t drink the wine while I’m cooking with it, I don’t want it anywhere near my food.

Generally speaking, you want to use fresh wines that you open for the meal. The vintage is unimportant, although wines that have one or two years of age will generally have less free-sulfur and may integrate with your flavors a little better.

There are a few strategies to apply when making a wine selection for the purpose of using it as a cooking ingredient:

  • Start with a wine you know and like. If possible, focus your attention on an old world version of a variety or blend. These wines inherently are the tried-and-true benchmarks for the wines of the world. If you need assistance, ask your specialist retailer for help. Avoid supermarket wines.
  • Consider the region where the wine is made. Is it near the sea, or is it inland? Wines will typically pair better with local foods – wines historically produced in coastal wine regions will pair well with seafood; wines traditionally grown inland will usually pair well with continental cuisine.

Beyond that, wine can enhance a dish in so many unique ways that it’s difficult to pin down exactly which recipe to use. Don’t worry. A simple search online can be a great help, but I offer the following suggestions as a good place to start.

pic-3

Light white table wines with gentle aromas, low alcohol (12.9% abv and below) show well in risotto, fish, and chicken recipes.

White wines with more robust profiles, some oak aging, and moderate to high alcohol levels (13% abv and higher) have a special place in my heart when used for braising meats.

I use light red wines that featur fruit and spices in the aromas and flavors, with little or no oak aging, low alcohol (12.9% abv and lower) in meat sauces with tomatoes. (Tip: a small amount of vodka can also open the aromas of a slow-cooked ragu.)

More robust and hearty red wines, with intense aromas of fruit and oak, vanilla and spices, and a moderate to high level of alcohol (13% abv and higher) tend to find their way into meat marinades, as a poaching liquid, and as an ingredient in braising.

cooking with wineI use sweet wines to poach fruit and build berry sauces for desserts. Imagine a peach poached in a liqueur muscat, served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and the poaching liquid drizzled over the plate; or cherries poached in port and reduced into thick syrup that is served with a chocolate brownie.

By focusing on a few key elements in the wine, it is very easy to have fun with your food.

I look forward to your comments.

Share Tweet

Benjamin North Spencer

Benjamin North Spencer is an author, international wine consultant, winemaker, journalist, wine judge, and educator. He is the founder of American Wine Writer and The Etna Wine School (in Sicily, Italy). He travels the world studying and promoting obscure grape varieties, unsung wine regions, and the many pleasures that can be found through wine and other beverages.

You Might Also Like

  • dating ideas los angeles Better Dating Ideas

    Better Dating Ideas Los Angeles: November 27th – 30th

  • Entertainment

    The Bachelorette: A Bitter Suite Fantasy

  • Women's Style

    2013 Fashion Resolutions

More from this author

  • Wine & Dine

    Follow Your Nose To Pleasure

  • fortified wine Wine & Dine

    Everything You Need To Know About Fortified Wine

  • judge a wine by its label Wine & Dine

    It’s Okay To Judge A Wine By Its Label

1 Comment

  • Wine Pairing Tips For Holiday Entertaining - Eligible Magazine says: October 22, 2015 at 7:37 am

    […] RELATED: The Joy Of Cooking With Wine […]

    Reply
  • Leave a reply Cancel reply

    Search

    Subscribe & Follow

    Follow @EligibleZine
    Follow on Instagram
    Eligible Magazine Pheed
    Follow eligiblezine

    Find us on Facebook

    Eligible TV

    Twitter: eligiblezine

    • There really is no place like home especially when our beaches are this beautiful we got together the best beaches… https://t.co/hiMFCfYUoO 04:00:23 PM July 12, 2019 from Hootsuite Inc.
    • RT @EligibleZine: As time goes, on nature takes its course. An aging parent is hard enough to handle, let alone while keeping your relation… 11:43:50 AM July 12, 2019 from Twitter for iPhone
    • Comfort is great when it comes to beds, couches and clothes but for your life it can be limiting to your best poten… https://t.co/Le9uIQq6pg 10:45:15 AM July 08, 2019 from Hootsuite Inc.

    Eligible Poll

    Eligible Magazine now available on iPad, iPhone and smartphone

    • Contributors

    About

    Eligible Magazine is a lifestyle magazine for urban men and women who want the best from their dating life, their relationships and themselves. It features articles and video content on dating, relationships, sex, wellness and lifestyle by some of the country's foremost experts. The magazine is available online, for sale on Apple's Newsstand for your iPad or iPhone and soon to be in print.

    Recent Posts

    • Two Iconic Toronto Lifestyle Brands Unite

    • motionball 2022

      Motionball 2022 – Why You Should Mark Your Calendar

    • Why A Staycation Is Perfect For Your Next Date Night

    • Perfume for Women: What’s the Difference?

    Contact

    Contact Eligible Magazine
    Work for Eligible Magazine
    Advertise with Eligible Magazine
    Write for Eligible Magazine
    Unsubscribe
    Privacy Policy

    Search

    © 2013 Eligible Magazine. All rights reserved.
    • Sitemap
    • Help
    • Contact Us
    • Terms of Use
    • Copyright
    • Privacy & Cookie Policy
    • Advertising
    • Announcements
    Eligible Magazine
    Eligible Magazine on Apple App Store